A Summer of Secrets
by Adele Elisabeth
Summary: Sequel to Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets. The Snapes are in France. Somehow, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Draco, (and parents, not the Grangers though) end up at the Montaque Mansion. Chaos, love and misery. Complete with 16 chapters
1. And I thought that owl was bad.

Author's Note: This story is set the summer before Harry & Co.'s sixth year – the summer after the story 'Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets' (read and review please). The Snapes are spending their summer in France, with Morganna's (Severus's wife) family, the Montaques. This story uses all the plots and such that I left out of KoS, using something I had been going to use as a KoS subplot as 'the' plot. It may or may not be any good, but I'm hoping it will be. My friend Neshomeh asked me to work Este or Jenni into KoS, but I couldn't, so they can be in this story instead. I'm sure they'd love a holiday in France with friends.  
  
Thanks to: Neshomeh, for her marvelous role-play talent. To Shannon, for his version of Severus Snape, which showed both sides of the one coin. To Chrissie, for her version of Lily Evans (Lily Potter), who will feature in a few flashbacks. To my friends in the role-play boards for putting up with me, and to the people here, for not giving me dreadful reviews. Yes, I've only got like six reviews (one of them was I, at least two were people I know and had gotten to read my work), but they're not bad ones!  
  
Dedicated to: DamnCat, mostly known as DC. If Deece were alive today, he'd be fourteen, same age as me. He was the inspiration for my evil-yet-nice felines who have been written into my role-plays and my stories alike. He was a loyal friend and he was always there. I swear he had feline telepathy, and he was much loved. I don't care what anyone else says, he was the handsomest cat I've ever seen. Okay, so he was a Mummy's Boy. Delilah (his mother. A cat, duh.) spoiled him like no other kitten (cleaned up after him, fought off other cats…etc…etc) and then, when he was about five or so, he suddenly had to fend for himself. I'm proud of the way he coped, suddenly acting like a cat in his prime when he was well past. He died at the age of twelve, of old age. He had a heart murmur, cancer (either skin or in his eye. There was definitely something gross in his eyes), and we would have had to let him go anyway. He crept away and was gone, like autumn's leaves. He had always been there, and suddenly he wasn't, but he'll always live on in my heart, and in my stories. DC, if you're somewhere in Cat-Heaven (and I refuse to go to Heaven if DC, Delilah, and all my other dearly departed pets aren't there), and you're looking down at me, I love you lots and I'll see you in about 70 years.  
  
Extra Author's Note: This is a first person story, and I apologize in advance for my portrayal of Severus. I've never been good at his character, but I'll do my best. Any bad reviews about it will be ignored, I'm afraid, since I already know that I'm not so great at ole Sevvy, and I'm working on it.  
  
-  
  
Chapter One: And I thought the owl was bad.  
  
-  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
I looked up at my father. He hadn't liked the idea of spending any long amount of time with Mother's relatives, but we begged and he gave in. I wanted to meet all Mother's friends and especially her butler, René LaJoie. Mother told me about times when Renè had gotten her out of trouble, and covered for her when she really had done something naughty. I wanted to see her horse; a white mare named Juliet, after the Shakespeare character.  
  
Well, anyway, I looked up at my father. He was paler than usual, but that was probably just from the stress we'd all been under during fifth year. For the first time, I was glad to be leaving Hogwarts for the summer.  
  
So, here we were. In France. The sun was shining, and so were Mother's eyes. She hadn't been back to France for so long, not since she spent a summer there before her sixth year. That had been many years ago, Mother was nearly 32.  
  
But most of all, I wanted to see the room where Aunt Gloria lived.  
  
Mother scolded me and told me that she certainly wasn't going to show me, and didn't I have any respect for the dead?  
  
Montgomery promised he'd show me, and introduce me to Gloria's cat, Damnation. Apparently, Damnation's original name was Panda (he was a Persian with big dark circles around his eyes), but Grandfather kept shouting 'Damnation' whenever he saw him, so the name stuck. I thought it rather cute – but wasn't it strange the cat was still around?  
  
No, Gom had told me. Damnation was a magical cat, wasn't I a silly girl for thinking that a Montaque would have anything less.  
  
I would have felt better about my Montaque blood if it weren't for all the scandals I'd heard about.  
  
It chilled me to think that I was one of those scandals.  
  
-  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
Morag and I had convinced Severus that coming to France for the summer wasn't a bad idea at all. It had taken a while, but we were very persistent.  
  
It was a good idea, after all, to get away from the stresses in England. To at least try and forget for a while what had happened. I sat possessively close to my daughter as the carriage rumbled down the road that led to a manor I hadn't been near in so many years.  
  
My family had been shrouded in mystery for so long – with more than our fair share of scandal. Gloria's death had been suspect, I found out from Renè, and I had confided my worries to my friend, Stuart LaJoie, Renè's nephew.  
  
I felt a little guilty that I hadn't been back in so long, but I wrote faithfully to Stuart and Renè. Stuart was an 'odd-job-man' at my ancestral manor now, with Renè around to shout at the maids. I smiled to myself as I thought about it.  
  
The sudden stop of the carriage startled me out of my thoughts, and before Severus reached the door-handle, it was open already.  
  
Stuart winked up at us. "Miss Anna, back to the scene of the crime." He laughed as he helped me out of the carriage. Morag came after, she looked bemused.  
  
I put my hands on my hips and looked him square in the eye. "You broke that vase, Stuart LaJoie, don't even think about blaming me – again!" then I laughed, because it has hard to even pretend to be angry with Stuart.  
  
Severus didn't look too happy – was that jealousy? I resolved to be particularly wifely, wouldn't want him to think that he had any competition. Perhaps competition was healthy, but not when you have a temper like his.  
  
"Severus, Morag, this is my friend, Stuart LaJoie. He is the butler's – Renè – nephew." I introduced them. "Stuart, this is my husband Severus, and my daughter Morag."  
  
Stuart and Severus shook hands, Morag smiled brightly. Then Stuart looked around. "Where is Gom? Uncle Renè's been looking forward to seeing the old bird again. I swear, they are a pair of old grandmothers if ever I saw."  
  
Severus scowled – he never got on with my owl. I sighed inwardly, and resolved also to make sure that Severus and Gom were never left alone together. I shuddered at the thought of what could happen.  
  
"Gom is in the next carriage, with our luggage." I told my friend. Stuart gave me an odd look – Gom had always traveled with me, never with my luggage – but he didn't question further.  
  
"Come along then, we can go out to the garden and catch up, and show your family around. Uncle Renè is still making sure everything is perfect, you'll spoil it for him if you go in now." Stuart said, leading us around to the gardens.  
  
My breath caught in my throat as I looked around at places I hadn't seen in years. It was coming home, truly coming home. The gardens where Luci and I chased Gom down from trees, or where Gerad chased me up trees. Where Gom would tell us stories about Gloria, or stories that Gloria had made up. Where we would sit with Mother while she drew the most beautiful designs for her wizarding wear label. Where we were sent if Papa was in a bad mood. Where I would ride my palfrey Juliet around the fields, or with my friends to a picnic. Gloria's old mare, Sunrise, was my favorite horse by far. I loved Juliet, of course, but Sunrise was another connection to the sister that had such impact on my life, yet I'd never met.  
  
-  
  
**Severus's POV**  
  
Not only did my wife and daughter band together to convince me that a holiday to France would be a good idea, they made arrangements for others to join us at the Montaque Manor. I dreaded the idea of spending any amount of time with Gerad Montaque, but luckily the prat had taken his daughters to California for the summer, to stay with Morganna's silly cousin Lillias. However, I was not looking forward to seeing Lucia Montaque again either. Foolish, interfering, infernal woman that she was. Always poking around where she didn't belong. Into my own family business, years ago. I idly wondered what she'd done with the information she gathered.  
  
Morganna and that odd friend of hers were leading us around to the gardens behind the manor. A pleasant enough place, I supposed. What was the name of her friend? Stuart something…La…gah. Not a very memorable name, in any case.  
  
Morag was giving me that look of hers, one I've never really been able to decipher. I gather it's one of those patronizing looks that daughters give their elderly fathers who've forgotten how to eat with a fork. I am not that old, she could at least wait until I'm 40 before she starts looking at me as if I'm some sort of dinosaur. I severely disapprove of such 'looks'. She was doing it again! Damn it. But I didn't get a chance to admonish her, because Morganna was talking again.  
  
"Severus, isn't this marvelous? The gardens are kept so well." Morganna beamed at me. I deny here and now that I in any way scowled. I did not.  
  
"Yes, father, what do you think?" Morag asked in that drawl that reminds me of her irritating sire. I wouldn't mind beating Jonathan O'Connell to death one day, but somehow I suspect Morganna would disapprove. Ah well. What Morganna doesn't know won't hurt her…no! I really must keep my mind on what's going on. I attempted a smile. "It's lovely, Morganna."  
  
I don't think she quite believed me, because she gave me one of her looks. What was it with them that had them looking at me that way? She was giving me a very suspicious look, the sort she gives me when I say that I'm not tired, or that nothing is bothering me. I do love my wife, but sometimes she is very trying. But, luckily, she did not press it further. Honestly, it's just my opinion of a garden, why would she press the matter?  
  
Morag was trying not to laugh at me. For the thousandth time, I wonder if I was drunk when I agreed to this.  
  
And then I saw the cat.  
  
-  
  
**Gom's POV**  
  
Infernal woman! Morganna shut me up in a cage and stuffed me in the carriage with the luggage! And then she has the audacity to tell me that it's for my own good! Being locked in a cage alone for three hours is not 'for my own good', I can tell you that! Sometimes I think she enjoys tormenting me. Perhaps there is squirrel blood in the Montaque lineage.  
  
-  
  
**Damnation the Cat's POV**  
  
Miaow.  
  
-  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
I sat down next to Mother in the garden, while she talked animatedly with her friend Stuart. It was quite boring to listen to, and then they started speaking french, which meant I had to translate in my head what I was hearing.  
  
I stopped listening.  
  
Father was poking about the place, looking, I assume, for something wrong that he could complain about. I hoped he would have the tact to wait until Mother wasn't around to complain, though.  
  
But just then, the most adorable thing I'd ever seen sauntered up to me. Sashayed, perhaps? It was that cat Gom had told me of, Damnation (once upon a time known as Mr. Panda). From his expression, I gathered that Father didn't think much of this addition to the family menagerie.  
  
I snapped my fingers at him, the way Gom told me to, and he hopped into my lap. I was slightly astounded at the weight of him – he was a fairly large cat. And very much in charge, from the look of that swagger. I think he must be a very odd cat.  
  
"Miaow."  
  
"He likes you." Gom translated. What? How did he get out of his cage? I assumed he was let out when our luggage was unpacked. Wait – Gom spoke Cat? I would have to look into this.  
  
"Well, I like him too." I said, not really wanting to ask.  
  
Gom and Damnation spoke at some length. Finally Gom said, "He wants to know what right have you to look like Gloria?" Gom was trying not to laugh. "I tried to explain hereditary-ness and such to him, but he is, after all, a feline."  
  
Feathers and fur flew. Gom apologized. I tried not to laugh.  
  
"He says he thinks that a smart girl like you should be keeping a cat rather than a – hey! I resent that." Gom exclaimed, before he finished. Damnation looked like the cat got the cream. Evidently this rivalry wasn't exactly new.  
  
"Than a what, precisely?" I inquired sweetly.  
  
"Than a senile old bag of feathers." Gom muttered. I couldn't help myself. I burst into gales of laughter.  
  
Mother and Father and Stuart looked up. Mother gave me one of those indulgent smiles and said to the others, "She's talking to Panda and Gom." Mother had always insisted on calling Damnation by his given name, rather than the 'more suitable' name that everyone else referred to him as. Apparently Damnation had been called worse things, and Gom felt that 'Damnation' was a perfectly good compromise.  
  
I thought they were all crazy, but didn't say so.  
  
-  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
It was lovely, catching up with Stuart, but I was distracted when Morag had her dialogue with Panda and Gom.  
  
I don't think Severus liked the look of Panda, and I supposed he hadn't exactly had good experiences with my pets. Though Panda was never really 'mine' he was just…Panda. And the only other pet Severus ever met was Gom.  
  
Oh. That was probably the problem.  
  
In all fairness, Panda didn't much like Severus either. I know this because he clawed his leg the first chance he got. And what he said through Gom was totally uncalled for.  
  
"That is it!" Severus shouted, pulling out his wand. "And I thought the owl was bad! Say your prayers!"  
  
-  
  
-  
  
A/N: Not bad for a first chapter. There are two other characters that may or may not be joining us next chapter, Jenni and Este; it depends on negotiations with Neshomeh. All those in favor of Morag inviting a friend, if Jenni (Morganna and Severus's friend) and Este (Jenni's niece, Morag's friend) can't come, there are going to be others. Cousins, aunts, uncles, crazy relatives that nobody talks about. Should be fun. 


	2. Este and Jenni Arrive

Author's Note: Well, here we go again.  
  
Thanks to: Eleanor, for letting me use Jenni and Este. Sorry, they're not going to the opera so that Jenni can go looking for the Phantom. Well, maybe they will. If she got lost, it'd be a great story…  
  
Dedicated to: Chrissie, Shannon, and Eleanor, my three Hogwarts role- playing friends!  
  
~*~  
  
**Babette's POV**  
  
((a/n: Babette LaJoie, daughter of Stuart and Yvonne LaJoie.))  
  
Mother and I went to meet Miss Morganna's friends, Miss Jenni and Miss Este. I was home for the summer from Beauxbatons, and so was my friend, Clayton Thorne. Clayton was Miss Lucia's son. I've never been quite sure about the story there, but he's a good friend and summers at Montaque Mansion are awful on your own, or with strangers. So I was especially glad he was coming to stay this summer, with his mother.  
  
Mother decided that Miss Morganna was the worst sort of little rich girl, because she knew Miss Lacrimosa and Miss Lucia, and thought that Miss Morganna would be just the same.  
  
I, on the other hand, had been getting my information from more reliable sources.  
  
And I came to the conclusion that Mother was in for a shock.  
  
Like everyone else at Montaque Mansion, I spoke fluent English, and we tended to use it there all the time, since most of the Montaques had gone to England, and their families were English.  
  
Clayton's father was English, so he spoke it anyway.  
  
I wondered what Miss Este would be like. She was Miss Morag's friend, and older than me, but maybe she'd be nice.  
  
Miss Morag didn't seem the friendliest person in the world, but Father told me that I must make her feel welcome.  
  
I didn't see why; it was her home, after all.  
  
~*~  
  
**Yvonne's POV**  
  
Babette was sitting next to me with that look on her face that suggested she knew something I didn't.  
  
She takes after her father far too much.  
  
Well, we'd arrived at the train station. We'd taken the Montaque's car and chauffeur, which I thought was quite a good idea.  
  
Pierre was a good driver, but I felt that we wouldn't die if we turned on that muggle radio thing. The silence was almost unbearable.  
  
Babette was leaping out of the car to meet Miss Jenni and Miss Este.  
  
Trust her to be excited to meet some more spoilt idiots.  
  
((author's note: In case you hadn't noticed, Yvonne is somewhat prejudiced. She assumes a little too much. See how far it gets her…))  
  
~*~  
  
**Este's POV**  
  
We were just getting off the train, when we heard a young french girl shouting at us in English.  
  
"Miss Jenni! Miss Este! Zis way please!"  
  
"Este, that's us," Aunt Jenni told me, pulling me towards the shouting girl.  
  
It was a Miss Babette LaJoie, she introduced herself breathlessly, and this was her mother, Yvonne LaJoie, and the chauffeur was named Pierre, and didn't we just love Morganna's Rolls Royce?  
  
She seemed nice, if a little unnecessarily perky.  
  
They got us there in quick time – just in time to see Professor Snape chasing Morag's owl with his wand.  
  
~*~  
  
**Jenni's POV**  
  
Who'd have guessed?  
  
Severus was chasing Gom with his wand, Morganna was chasing Severus, Morag was chasing her parents, and they were followed by a Frenchman, trying to catch the owl before Severus did.  
  
Yvonne pointed him out as her husband, Stuart.  
  
Gom looked like all the demons in hell were on his tail.  
  
The look on Severus's face suggested he might not be far wrong…  
  
Babette, the 3rd year Beauxbatons student, joined the chase quickly. Yvonne looked skeptical, and she was looking at Morganna like she was some kind of new plague.  
  
I wondered what she found so repulsive about Morganna.  
  
But I didn't get much further, because just then, Gom went past.  
  
Naturally I stuck out my leg and tripped Sev.  
  
Who wouldn't?  
  
~*~  
  
**Clayton's POV**  
  
I walked out of the house, only to find the most confusing looking chase ever going on in the backyard.  
  
My cousin Morag had come to visit, with Aunt Morganna and her husband, Professor Snape from Hogwarts.  
  
Was that what they were always like?  
  
They went down like a ton of bricks when Aunt Morganna's friend stuck out her leg and tripped the Professor.  
  
"Aunt Morganna!" I exclaimed, helping her up. She hadn't seen me since I was young, but I was sure she'd recognize me. She was very dutiful in her letter writing, and I sent her recent pictures constantly. Mother was right when she picked Aunt Morganna as her favorite sister.  
  
"Clayton," she beamed at me. "This is my husband Severus, and my daughter – your cousin – Morag. And this is Jenni, an old schoolfriend, and her niece Este, a friend of Morag's I believe." She introduced them all with such ease. I could well see her at one of those parties Mother so adored, the petite hostess who ruled her parties with grace and skill.  
  
But she also seemed so motherly and homey. It was conflicting, and sort of confusing.  
  
Was she the mother or the socialite?  
  
Morag was glaring at me, looking rather unfriendly.  
  
I felt that was definitely uncalled for, and I would have said so – if Babette hadn't started glaring at me as well.  
  
Which was quite frankly unfair. I can't and won't cross Babette Kathryn LaJoie. It's like inviting in Destruction.  
  
Babette was taking the side of a stranger!  
  
I don't know precisely what we were taking sides about, but she was taking the side of someone she'd never met before – over me!  
  
Clayton! Her friend forever!  
  
I felt rather betrayed.  
  
~*~  
  
**Severus's POV**  
  
I stood up and dusted myself off. Jenni sticking her leg out to trip me was not fair at all, but now was not the time.  
  
Besides, I'd just tried to murder Morganna's owl, I didn't think she'd be very pleased with me.  
  
"…and then, we'll be having dinner with Lucia. She's gone to all this trouble of a party in honor of our arrival, so we really can't get out of it." Morganna was saying.  
  
I blinked, feeling I'd missed some rather integral part of the conversation.  
  
I rewound in my mind. Right, she had a nephew named Clayton – whose was he? – Jenni and Este had arrived, and her butler, Renè, was calling us in.  
  
"So, Renè's taken the liberty of putting out some good clothes for us – there will be muggles at the party, so it's muggle evening dress, rather than dress robes. He'll show you to your rooms and you can relax, explore the mansion, or whatever you'd like to. I am going to be in the lake if anyone wants me, and welcome to my childhood abode." Morganna finished.  
  
LaJoie's wife seemed to have been struck dumb.  
  
Morganna can have that effect on people.  
  
((author's note: To Shannon: If Severus ever says that in a role-play, he will enter a world of hurt. Thank you.))  
  
~*~  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
I wandered up to Severus and my chambers, where Renè had been thoughtful enough to lay out a bathing suit for me.  
  
Severus had gone off to poke about the place, Morag was playing wizard's chess with Este, Jenni was in her room reading 'Phantom of the Opera', Babette and Clayton were playing pranks on Renè, and Stuart and his wife were in the gardens still.  
  
I changed into my bathing suit – a tasteful silver two-piece – took my towel, and went down to the lake.  
  
I sat down on the grass, dipping my toes in the warm – bewitched – water. It was not a bad enchantment, one that kept the water permanently at the perfect temperature.  
  
I remembered days when I'd played in this lake as a child.  
  
~*~Flashback~*~  
  
'Anna! Anna, the water's fine, and Stuart promised he won't make it go cold again, come on Anna, you love swimming!' Luci begged her ten-year-old sister.  
  
Anna ((author's note: there are several nicknames for, shortened versions of, Morganna, which are used throughout. Anna will be the most prominent, and Maria a close second. Just thought I'd explain.)) glared at the amiable Stuart, who seemed amenable to the idea of not turning the water around Anna into that icy frost it had been moments before.  
  
She hadn't been pleased with Stuart, who'd been ignoring her lately – following her older sister around like a puppy. She was his friend, wasn't she? Why was he following Lacrimosa around? Lacrimosa was the same age as the then fourteen-year-old Stuart, and filling out nicely. She'd been getting a lot of attention. Anna was quite happy with that – as long as it wasn't Stuart giving Lacci the attention. Stuart was her very best friend, and he'd never deserted her before.  
  
But she gave in and got in the water – although not before she threw a rock – missed – at Stuart.  
  
~*~End of Flashback~*~  
  
It seemed, sometimes, that I never remembered the things I'd really like to.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
I wasn't too keen on the idea of going to a party – especially one full of muggles. Knowing Mother, she'd want me on my very best behavior, being careful not to mention magic and such. I did, however, rather like the dress.  
  
Este kept beating me at wizard's chess.  
  
"Checkmate." She said, for at least the fifth time.  
  
"I'm not playing again." I announced.  
  
So what if it was petty?  
  
"You just don't want to lose again." She accused.  
  
"Obviously! Come on, I want to see the dress Renè laid out for you." I dragged her up. I hadn't really had any friends that past year, and I was making up for lost time by buddying up with Este.  
  
She grinned at me. "And then we have a look at what your mother's wearing."  
  
"Like the infamous 'Nightdress Incident'." I giggled. In my fourth year at Hogwarts, Aunt Lillias sent Mother some rather skimpy little lacy nightdresses. Este and I had sneaked into her chambers to look at them. Father almost caught us, as well. It was a great memory.  
  
"Just like that…only without the lace…" Este giggled along with me.  
  
~*~  
  
**Jenni's POV**  
  
I went outside after a while; to see what Morganna was up to. And to say something about the choice of dress. It looked like something Gailyn Dorau* would have his girlfriend wear…  
  
Okay, so maybe that was an overstatement, but still.  
  
It was beautiful, and I'm sure it would look great.  
  
I'd just rather it looked great on someone else.  
  
It was a floor length green silk gown, with a low cut back – any lower and you'd be able to check for dimples on my bottom – and a (thankfully) high neck. It had sleeves, which dipped down almost to the ground themselves. On the left was a split that reached the middle of my thigh, and there was matching green satin stilettos. I thought it was all a bit much.  
  
Also, there was a note attached.  
  
Jenni ~ I trusted Renè's good taste in this, so I'm sure it's a beautiful evening gown. It's a gift, mainly because I haven't had a chance to give anyone presents lately, so I'm going to insist on buying people things all summer. I'm sure they won't mind that much. ~ Morganna.  
  
So here I was, standing by the lake with my hands on my hips.  
  
"Morganna," I started, "have you seen the dress that your butler – Renè wasn't it – picked?"  
  
She nodded, pulling herself out of the water. "Yes, I saw them earlier."  
  
"I can't possibly wear that confection! It looks like something out of Gailyn Dorau's daydreams!" I exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, Jenni, Jenni, Jenni." Morganna tsk-tsked at me. "It is not. Calm down, it's a lovely dress and you'll look lovely in it."  
  
Giving in gracefully – Morganna seems to have this new habit of overlooking what she doesn't like – I grumbled my way back to my room.  
  
*Gailyn Dorau is another character belonging to my friend Eleanor, 'Neshomeh-From-Neopets', who unsuccessfully pursued Jenni at Hogwarts. A right slimy git, a real prat, type thing. He got his 'come uppance' though, and it was hilarious. Nesh's got a site with his description on it; maybe that'll shed some light onto what we did to the poor bugger…or maybe not. The site is posted on a review of Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets. 


	3. The Party

Disclaimer: Anything created by JK Rowling (I know I only used like one of her characters, but it's based in her world) belongs not to me, but to the benevolent goddess of Hogwarts.  
  
Author's Note: I'm doing my best not to stray out of character for Severus. I do hope I'm doing a good job with him. I'm about to complicate the plot by including the O'Connell family (mentioned in my fanfic Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets, and Kieran O'Connell was a character in it), and start bringing in those secrets mentioned in the title. It would be a good idea to read HP&theKoS before reading this, since this is the summer after that and events from that story will be mentioned. Also, it'll help you understand several of the characters a little better (I hope). Anyone looking for Harry should turn back now, I can't think of a good reason for him to be in France, and he's not needed.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Dedicated to:  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Three: Dancing, Disaster, and Jonathan O'Connell.  
  
~*~  
  
**Severus's POV**  
  
I was going to complain about the muggle clothes, but I decided not to when I saw how futile it was. Morganna's a very determined woman in her fashion. ((a/n*: no pun intended.))  
  
Time passed irritatingly quickly, and soon we were all preparing for the party that Lucia saw fit to inflict on us.  
  
Morganna was in her dressing gown doing her makeup when I was already ready. She tsk-tsked at me – a new habit of hers which was going to get very old very fast – and insisted that I do something with my hair.  
  
There was the underlying threat that if I didn't, she'd cut it all off.  
  
I gave in and let her tidy it into one of those daft ponytails for me.  
  
Which of course meant she took even longer to get ready herself.  
  
Women.  
  
Admittedly, the end result of her labors (on herself, not on me) was worth the wait. I'm not sure what exactly she called the thing she did with her hair, but it looked nice.  
  
However, if she could learn to do that in less than two hours, I'd be ecstatic.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
I was a little nervous about this; I hadn't been to one of Lucia's parties since my fifteenth summer. But I didn't look nervous, and that counted for something.  
  
I wore my mother's pearl and diamond choker, the one I loaned to Morag for the Yule Ball, with matching earrings. I was proud of my hairstyle, it took forever and it looked great, with ringlets flowing down the back and a braided bun at the back of my head. My dress was a silver version of the one given to Jenni, and it had been Gloria's.  
  
Everywhere I went in this house, I encountered her belongings. Even among my effects.  
  
It got somewhat irksome, but I wasn't about to say that around Renè, who had been loyal to her even over Papa.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
The dress Renè provided was lovely. It was a white strapless dress, with a full skirt that reminded me of the girl in that muggle story, Cinderella.  
  
Luckily there weren't any glass slippers. Knowing my luck, they'd have broken.  
  
No, instead there were matching white satin heels, with what appeared to be diamonds set on the toe. Very chic. There were the loveliest long white gloves, and a white fur wrap.  
  
Renè seemed to have a thing about symmetry, because Babette was wearing the same ensemble in black. This may be petty, but I was secretly pleased that there were no diamonds (I checked with Renè, that's what they were. Mother's family must have been insanely rich, from the way people spent money like water) on her shoes.  
  
Este had a similar dress, in green. Only hers was gathered under the bust, rather than at the waist.  
  
I wore my locket, the one with my parent's pictures in it, and a bracelet that Renè told me belonged to my Aunt Gloria.  
  
~*~  
  
**Lucia's POV**  
  
I watched them all come into the ballroom, I was standing close to the stair. Morganna looked lovely in her dress. It had been Gloria's, but she'd never worn it.  
  
I wore a simple black strapless silk dress, straight up and down, it suited me fine. I caught sight of some of the other wizarding folk who I'd deigned to allow come.  
  
I suspected that Morganna's poor husband was going to have a fit when he saw who walked in after he escorted his wife in.  
  
I couldn't exactly not invite Kathryn O'Connell and her husband, she was one of the biggest fans of Les chiffons aux Richesses, she came to all our shows, bought all our robes, and she just HAD to meet the lovely owner, my darling little sister.  
  
I'm betting she didn't know that Anna Montaque (the name Morganna used for owning the wizarding fashion house) was none other than Morganna Snape, the mother of her husband's 'little accident' as she so delicately termed it.  
  
I always wanted to punch her when she called Morag a 'little accident'.  
  
Severus always felt like an Unforgivable Curse or three when anyone mentioned Jonathan O'Connell.  
  
I felt like yelling 'Now's your chance, Sevvy, let the prat have it!'  
  
But I didn't want to get in trouble with Morganna, since she'd just given me my job back.  
  
Sigh.  
  
"Mother," it was Clayton. I wondered where his father had gotten to. "Mother, don't you think it was rather tactless to invite the O'Connells?"  
  
"Clayton, darling, you are far too intelligent for your own good." I smiled patronizingly, the way I always did when I knew he was catching on and I wasn't prepared to say anything aloud.  
  
He gave his usual response, ("But you love me anyway.") and went off to find Babette.  
  
A girl I have always thought truly was too intelligent for her own good. One day, Babette LaJoie was going to find that her mouth would get her into a situation she wouldn't be able to talk her way out of.  
  
In the meantime, I meant to enjoy my party to the full – especially the anticipated fireworks between the Snapes and the O'Connells.  
  
~*~  
  
**Kieran's POV**  
  
Mother was ecstatic when she found out that we were invited to a party at the Montaque Mansion. We were in Paris for yet another one of those fashion parades she so adored, and Ms. Montaque's sister's secretary sent us the invitation.  
  
So here we were. Father looked as though he knew something Mother and I didn't – and then I saw Mrs. Snape.  
  
And remembered the name on the picture I've always carried.  
  
Montaque.  
  
Oh, shit.  
  
~*~  
  
**Kathryn's POV**  
  
The first person I saw when I walked in was Morganna Snape.  
  
What on earth was she doing here? The silly idiot that carried my husband's baby fifteen years ago. I didn't quite understand.  
  
"Kathryn?" Jonathan asked me. "What's the matter?"  
  
"Isn't that your ex?" I demanded scathingly, pointing at her. I could hardly believe she could afford what she was wearing.  
  
((a/n: Kathryn has a very low opinion of Morganna. Now, for all you pedants, yes, Kathryn did know Morganna at school. But no, Kathryn was not smart enough to bother knowing Morganna's last name. Which is how it's possible for her to be so stupid and not know that Anna Montaque and Morganna Snape is the same woman.))  
  
Jonathan glanced past me. He looked speculative – evidently he liked what he saw. I stepped on his foot. "What is she doing here, Jon?"  
  
"Dancing with her husband." He replied promptly. Pedant.  
  
"That's not what I meant and you know it." I snapped. Realizing that my husband was not going to be forthcoming – or he just didn't know – I asked someone else.  
  
"What is she doing here?" I asked the first person I saw, an elderly butler from the looks of things.  
  
He looked offended. "Miss Anna is here because it is her house, madam. Surely you knew, the party is for Miss Anna."  
  
My jaw dropped. "Anna?"  
  
"Anna Montaque. Well, Snape now. But she uses Montaque for her business." The irritating little man was actually grinning at me now! "Was there anything else, madam?"  
  
"No." I turned around, to see Jonathan with that same grin plastered across his face. "You knew!" I accused.  
  
"Of course I knew, Kathryn." He said patiently. "You did want to meet the woman who owns the fashion house that created damn near all your robes, I just didn't tell you that you'd already met her. Much more fun this way."**  
  
"You can't let Kieran see that daughter of hers." I snapped. "We're leaving."  
  
That wiped the smirk of his face. But it was back pretty quickly, to my surprise. "Kieran knows already. He found out during the year. He's quite fond of his older sister." He looked as though he was keeping something back from me. I decided that I really didn't need to know what.  
  
~*~  
  
**Babette's POV**  
  
Morag walked past me, chatting with that friend of hers, Este. Este didn't seem used to all the servants here to cater to her every whim, but Morag was adapting fast.  
  
I guess it was in her blood or something, because Miss Anna looked to be in her element.  
  
Clayton came up behind me. "Jealous, Bette?"  
  
"Of that creature?" I snorted derisively. "Don't be stupid."  
  
"Admit it." his tone was wheedling. "She's got what you want. Her family's rolling in money, they're 'respectable', and she could probably get a small country for her sixteenth birthday if she asked nicely."  
  
"You've got that too." I pointed out.  
  
"Yes, but I'm your friend, you've known me forever."  
  
"How I wish I didn't." I replied, irked.  
  
"Oh, that hurts. That really hurts, Bette." He said, mock-hurt. I tried my hardest not to laugh, but failed miserably.  
  
Clayton beamed as Morag turned to see what the commotion was about.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat, cousin mine." He said pompously to her.  
  
Morag muttered something to her friend and turned around with her nose in the air.  
  
~*~  
  
**Este's POV**  
  
I didn't think that Babette liked Morag very much, neither, for that matter, did Clayton. He seemed nice enough, though, like the Montaque's answer to Fred and George Weasley.  
  
"Pompous arse." Morag muttered to me. I got the feeling that whatever it was they felt for her, it was mutual.  
  
"I'm sure he's just joking around, Morag." I replied, not really wanting to be dragged into some sort of weird family feud the first day I was there.  
  
"Sure." Morag sounded skeptical, but she dropped it.  
  
I glanced back to see Clayton and Babette swirling out onto the dance floor among the muggles. Morag had turned to look as well – she looked positively envious. I guessed the sort of friendship Clayton and Babette possessed was something to envy, certainly.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
"Miss Morag?"  
  
I turned to see Renè, the butler, beaming at me. "You like the dress, Miss Morag?"  
  
"I love it!" I exclaimed, with complete honesty. It was beautiful.  
  
"It belonged to your grandmother when she was younger." He told me. "She looked a lot like you, Miss Morag. The mistress was very nice to me."  
  
I wasn't really sure what to say, but I did my best. "I never met my grandmother." I hoped that sounded polite. "But Mother's mentioned her a few times."  
  
He frowned, and I thought for a moment that I'd offended him. But he was smiling again in a moment. "Miss Gloria would have liked you, Miss Morag."  
  
I tilted my head, as Este looked curiously at me. "How did Aunt Gloria die, Renè? I got told it was Crohns, but I did the research, and her symptoms weren't the same as the advanced stages of Crohns."  
  
Now I knew I'd hit a nerve. He almost literally flinched.  
  
"Miss Gloria's father said she died of Crohns, so she died of Crohns." He responded in a tone that brooked no argument.  
  
That was interesting. I knew she couldn't have – like I said, I did the research, and things didn't match up. So Grandfather was involved in her death? Montgomery never mentioned that…  
  
~*~  
  
**Jonathan's POV**  
  
I was watching Morag. She stood with a friend of hers – from England, I surmised, as I'd seen the girl's aunt before – and that butler of Morganna's. He looked nervous, as if she'd said something worrying, and then he left them abruptly.  
  
Kathryn was still scowling about how Morganna Snape was her hero, Anna Montaque. She watched as Morganna and that husband of hers danced, chatted, and generally fitted in.  
  
Something Kathryn'd been trying to do all her damned life.  
  
The perfect socialite, hostess, and trophy wife, my father had told me. She'd be a good hostess, she'd look good on my arm, and her family had all the right connections.  
  
Quite frankly, I'd rather have married Anna.  
  
I had a feeling that several people would have turned on me with wands if I ever expressed such a sentiment. Severus Snape, Kathryn, and of course, Anna herself.  
  
Morag would probably have something to say about it as well. I know that Luci would laugh in my face and tell me all the different ways Snape would murder me. Whereas the other sister, Lacci, would skip the small talk and just murder me.  
  
Lacci was a bitch, and she enjoyed tormenting her younger sisters. But she was also of the opinion that she should be the only person allowed to do so. That and she never liked me anyway. She'd kill for – pardon the pun – an excuse to murder me.  
  
So, I watched 'my daughter' (I suspect that I'd be murdered for voicing that thought aloud as well), and was quite proud of what I saw. She took after her mother, clearly, but she had my eyes, my nose, and my tone of voice as well, from what I'd heard from her and other people. Kieran sounded frighteningly like me, and according to Luci, Morag was a female (and much prettier) Kieran.  
  
She saw me watching her, gave me the strangest look, said something to that friend of hers, and walked over.  
  
Thank the lord, Kathryn had gone off to talk to some other ladies. I could just imagine what she'd say if she saw Morag walked over to me.  
  
Shit, for that matter, I could imagine what Severus would do…  
  
But it was too late for those thoughts, because she was there already.  
  
"So." She said, skipping the pleasantries. "You're my 'natural father'." Her tone of voice was mocking, and she made no bones about the fact that she didn't like me or trust me much.  
  
She was honest, and I felt inexplicably proud of her. Anna and her husband did a good job of raising her.  
  
"So they tell me." I replied urbanely. Her mother was a 'lady of quality', whereas my wife had money and no class. Snape definitely got the better end of the bargain.  
  
She tilted her head and examined me. I automatically attempted to present my best side, and gave up when I saw the amused light in her eyes.  
  
She reminded me of her mother, but bolder. Anna had those sorts of thoughts, but she never acted on them, or let them show. Well, she tried not to.  
  
"You're not much to look at. Why'd Mother go anywhere near you?"  
  
I winced. That was blunt enough.  
  
"I'm told she was unhappy at the time and flattered at my attention." I offered.  
  
Morag shrugged. Evidently she'd heard that too. "Maybe she was just out of her mind at the time." She decided aloud – possibly for my benefit – and went back to her friend.  
  
~*~  
  
**Jenni's POV**  
  
I saw that O'Connell prat, whatshisname. What was he doing there? I wondered what Severus would do when he saw him. Nothing good, I imagined.  
  
A movement on the other side of the room caught my eye.  
  
And went still.  
  
It was Severus. He'd seen O'Connell.  
  
I wouldn't have changed places with Morganna or O'Connell for all the galleons in the world.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
I was discussing comparative magical law with my sister's ex-husband's brother, Antony Thorne, when Severus turned to say something to Antony's wife, Cecelia, and stopped.  
  
"What's the matter with Severus?" Antony asked me, curious. I suspected that tales of my husband had been carried around the family by my sisters, and wondered which one got to Antony first.  
  
Probably Lucia.  
  
Which would make Antony's curiosity the sort of curiosity one had about a particularly strange new life form.  
  
"Oh, he probably just saw someone he knows." I replied lightly, turning.  
  
Perhaps I have some sort of talent in divinity, for my guess was closer than I thought.  
  
Jonathan O'Connell was here.  
  
I wondered if I should consider fratricide, and all the different ways I could argue justification in court.  
  
There were several people who would be begging for Lucia's head on a plate before the night was over.  
  
Severus among them.  
  
"Morganna, love, what is O'Connell doing here?" Severus at his silkiest. I winced.  
  
"I don't know, Severus. I'll find out, though." Oh yes, yes I would.  
  
Lucia…  
  
…was walking towards us.  
  
"Anna, Anna darling!" she called. "Old friend of yours over here, come say hello, you too, Severus, come, come," she was dragging Kathryn and Jonathan.  
  
Could the night have gotten any worse? I think not.  
  
"Jonathan," I greeted him, somewhat distantly. Severus was like a walking iceberg behind me. He clamped his arm possessively around my waist, and I knew Jonathan hadn't missed it.  
  
"Anna, Severus, how lovely to see you." He looked as though he might offer his hand to Severus to shake, but evidently thought twice. Severus had once embarrassed him by ignoring his hand before, not even Jonathan was stupid enough to try the same thing twice.***  
  
"O'Connell." Severus said, coldly. Not distant, obviously icy.  
  
Who could blame him? I didn't.  
  
"Well, Anna, how are you? I saw Morag earlier," and I felt Severus's arm tighten around me. Any tighter and I was going to have trouble breathing. "she looks lovely. Just like you at her age."  
  
"Thank you, Jonathan. And Kathryn, how are you? I saw you at the last Les chiffons show, will you be attending this summer's collection?" I asked, in an attempt to change the subject. I didn't want to discuss Morag, Kathryn didn't want to discuss Morag – I suspect Severus just didn't like hearing Jonathan say her name.  
  
I could've really used a glass of wine right then.  
  
Or a tranquilizer.  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Note:  
  
When I started writing A Summer of Secrets, I hadn't yet finished Keeper of Secrets, so it was all still fresh in my mind. It might help get a clearer picture of Morag if you read Keeper of Secrets first, just in case you haven't already.  
  
A lot of the names are coming from people at my school, their middle or first names. For example, Clayton and Antony are from the same person. His first name is Clayton. I'm not sure that I've spelt either name correctly, but I don't care. I need some more names, so if you know any you think I could use that would fit, if you'd stick those in a review, I'd be very grateful. Names already collected:  
  
Caroline, Rose, Joseph, James, David, Anne, Janice (my sister's name), Stephanie, Erin, Jessica, Justine, Finau (it'll be tough to get that one in, but I'm gonna try), Elli, Natasha, Lee or Leigh.  
  
*What a lot of author's notes I am using. Nyah, nyah, nyah, expect more.  
  
**Jonathan seems to take childish pleasure in this sort of thing. Some people just never grow up.  
  
***Another thing from a role-play. They crop up a lot in my stories, be warned. Though, in the role-plays, Morganna and Severus have baby twins…poll! Who thinks the Snapes should be gifted with more children? Say so in a review and maybe the Snapes will be once more hearing the pitter- patter of little feet. Though clearly any babies would not be able to be born in this story…it's only the summer long… 


	4. That Night

Disclaimer: I don't own JK Rowling's stuff, I just mess it up like crazy.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, so maybe Harry will be in this fic. Draco I can reason into it – the Snapes and the Malfoys know each other – Harry will be harder. He will at the very least be mentioned. Update next chapter.  
  
Thanks to: Refer to Keeper of Secrets.  
  
Dedicated to: Shannon, Chrissie and Neshomeh-From-Neopets. Okay, I'm fairly sure her real name is Eleanor, but Neshomeh-From-Neopets has sticking quality.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Four: That Night.  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
Poor Severus. An idiot could see the 'irrational fury' (I'm quoting Luci here) in his eyes when he saw Jonathan.  
  
Later, after the party was over and the guests had gone home (or collapsed into guest beds), I sat in front of my dressing table, brushing out my hair. I'd changed into my nightgown, and I was performing my nightly rituals.  
  
Severus was taking a bath, and I didn't begrudge him that after the evening we'd had.  
  
I just sat there, brushing my hair and listening to the beat of rain on the windows.  
  
~*~Flashback~*~  
  
'Anna, are you insane?' Lillias asked her young cousin. 'Your father is going to go berserk! You are 16! Children do not have children!'  
  
'I didn't plan this, Lilli.' Anna was in tears. 'I'll go home and marry Marc like Father said. I know my father, and I know Marc. They'll legitimatize her to avoid scandal. Say something about young love or something.'  
  
Lillias took Anna by the shoulders and shook her. 'You can't marry Marc. You'll make the both of you unhappy if you marry him when you love…someone else.' Lillias stopped herself before saying 'Severus'.  
  
'I have no choice anymore. I'll ask Severus to be her godfather, and I'll go back to France and be a dutiful daughter.' Anna's voice faltered and she resisted the urge to fall weeping to the ground.  
  
Lillias had sighed, and left Anna to her thoughts.  
  
'Why can't he love me?' she had whispered, bitter tears stinging her eyes.  
  
~*~End of Flashback~*~  
  
Memories were painful sometimes, but that story had had a happy ending. After all, here I was, brushing my hair, my husband in the next room. Severus. My husband.  
  
His presence made this so much more bearable.  
  
I was beginning to regret coming here, realizing that Morag knew that my family had more than its fair share of scandals, and she was going to find them out.  
  
Who wants their daughter to know their grandfather murdered his own daughter?  
  
That he had only ever loved one person, and he betrayed even her in the end.  
  
My mother died knowing her husband had stopped loving her.  
  
I prayed that never happened to me.  
  
~*~  
  
Excerpt from the diary of Gloria Anne Montaque, aged 15.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I'm confused. This isn't what the doctors told me to expect to feel. I have a headache that just won't go away – but my hands aren't shaking. Doctor Perrault told me my hands would shake.  
  
Mother doesn't visit me anymore. My only companions are MJ and Panda. I love MJ; he talks to me all the time. And translates what Panda says for me. I love talking to them. MJ may not understand everything, but he listens, and that means most. I want for Gerad to have him when I am gone – he will need companions. Lacci is a little tart, and I think she is going to be a tease when she grows up.  
  
Luci, on the other hand, will never quite understand that to be a tease, you can't sleep around.  
  
My tutors always tell me I have such wonderful divination ability. I'm going to have another little sister in a year or so. She won't be like Lacci or Luci. She's going to be more than that. I love her already – I've seen her in dreams. She's so beautiful, so precious. She'll have Crohns too, but I don't think she'll be bedridden the way I am. I pray that she is kept safe – Father can't be trusted, he is poisoning me, I know it. No one will believe me, and I am doomed anyway. He will ruin my other siblings, but my darling little sister must be kept safe. There will be a Montaque child pure of heart.  
  
But I rather think that in doing so; it will be the death of me.  
  
Love always,  
  
Gloria Anne.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
I found her diary.  
  
Gloria Anne Montaque. The famous Montaque sister that never made it to 17.  
  
She knew her father was poisoning her, and she never said a word! She loved my mother before she was even born!  
  
I fell asleep with the knowledge that my deceased aunt was not innocent enough to believe the doctors when they told her she was dying of Crohns. Wise enough to know that her father was killing her, slowly but surely.  
  
She was one of the bravest women I knew of.  
  
But both of those brave women were dead.*  
  
~*~  
  
**Severus's POV**  
  
When I finally dragged myself out of the bath, Morganna was asleep in bed.  
  
I gazed at her, this woman who loved me even when I must have seemed so cold and unfeeling. It seemed like eons past, but it was roughly 15 or 16 years ago.  
  
When she'd been so angry, so positively furious.  
  
I'd been engaged.  
  
She loved me. I could have broken her heart with a single glance – according to Montgomery, I did so frequently without knowing it – and she loved me.  
  
I went to bed, thoughts of the fiasco that evening pushed to the back of my mind as I dozed off, vaguely aware that she'd put her arm across my chest.  
  
~*~  
  
*The other brave woman being Lily Evans/Potter.  
  
Author's Note: Yep, I know, damn short chapter. If you think the idea of Snape having a wife and family (I swear, if I hear 'Ewww…she must be desperate' one more time…) is nauseating, stuff off, like I give a flying (censored). In the story that goes before this, Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets, a love-triangle Harry/Morag/Draco was introduced. Chapter five – Morag decides between the two young men vying for her affections. 


	5. A Family Affair

Disclaimer: Anything belonging to the benevolent goddess of Hogwarts, JK Rowling is clearly not mine. I own what there is of a plot.  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I said we were going to have the big decider for Harry/Morag/Draco thing. Maybe I was fibbing, you see, I haven't picked yet. It's so difficult. I'm workin' on it!  
  
Dedicated to: my friends. Every single one of 'em.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Five: A Family Affair  
  
~*~  
  
What do you do when your boyfriend and his family arrive, and your mother invites them to stay, when you've just said the same to Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys? And what do you say when your aunt is having an affair with…her ex husband?  
  
((a/n: Explanation for the trio and co.'s presence: The Ministry is giving them an expenses-paid holiday, as a sort of 'Thank you, thank you, thank you' for all the things the trio has done))  
  
Well, I'd run like hell. Let's see what Morag does!  
  
~*~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
It was mid-afternoon.  
  
I'd been waiting for Harry, Hermione, Ron and his family to arrive for a while now, and anticipating the fireworks when Draco arrived as well.  
  
If I didn't know better, Aunt Lucia planned it…  
  
It was the sort of something she'd do.  
  
Something she'd done the night before! With different people, clearly, but still. I was so annoyed that Mother hadn't asked me first.  
  
I was sunbathing by the lake in the muggle 'bikini' that Aunt Lillias bought me, when I heard Mother calling me.  
  
"Mora, darling, our guests – all of them! – are here, come, come, don't dawdle,"  
  
She could be so annoying at times.  
  
So, I picked up my silk scarf, clasped it at one hip with a brooch Lucia gave me for my birthday, and sauntered back into the house, looking as though I hadn't a care in the world.  
  
Admittedly, the looks on Harry, Draco, and Ron's faces were worth it.  
  
Of course, the thundercloud of my own dear sweet papa (!) definitely put a damper on things.  
  
"Fred," George stage-whispered, "That's muggle clothes!"  
  
"George," Fred stage-whispered back, "I want to go be a muggle!"  
  
That relaxed the atmosphere a little, except for Father, who looked as though he wanted to strangle every teenage boy in the room.  
  
"Morag," Mother beamed. "Won't you show your friends their rooms?"  
  
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak yet. Motioning for all of them (George, Fred, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Draco) to follow me, I led them up the stairs to the bedchambers.  
  
"Morag, your mother did mention the other 'guests'." Draco said coolly. I tried not to wince.  
  
"She didn't know about them." I told him levelly. "I was in the process of inviting them here – oh, Este! Este!" I broke off to call her; she was coming out of her room. "We've got more guests, I hope you and your aunt don't mind awfully."  
  
Este smiled at me, and at everyone else, though her smile froze a bit when she looked at Draco. "No problem, Morag."  
  
"Hermione, this is your room – Ginny that's yours across the hall," I was pointing out the rooms, "George, Fred, your rooms are joined by a door, we weren't sure if you wanted to share, so you can if you want, both rooms have two single beds, Draco, that's you, and not the one next to that but the next one is you, Harry. Our maids have already brought up your things."  
  
"Whose is the room between mine and Potter's?" Draco demanded. The others were all examining their chambers.  
  
"Mine." I replied.  
  
Draco nodded, entering his room silently.  
  
I wished that I could just curl up and die, but no, I had months left to put up with this.  
  
Hermione and Ginny, at least, looked pleased with their surroundings, if not all of their company. "It's lovely, Morag," Ginny was saying to me. "Where could I get one of those?" she asked, pointing to the bikini I wore.  
  
I beamed at her – having been prepared for that question. "My mother has this lovely habit of buying people gifts when they come to visit – and she'll manage to twist it until it'll be rude to say no. I've been ordered to take you, Hermione and Este shopping."  
  
After the expected gasp and delight, I basked in the glory of being someone other people liked for once.  
  
~*~  
  
**Draco's POV**  
  
Potter. She damn well invited Potter to stay.  
  
I couldn't believe her sometimes. Not only was he a Gryffindor with a crush, he was…he was Potter!  
  
The things I wanted to do to him for even looking at her defied even the Dark Arts.  
  
What truly amazed me was that she didn't seem to care at all.  
  
I saw her in the hallway, with that mudblood, Granger, the Weasley girl, and Este somebody. And my mother. The girls were dressed in muggle clothes – very chic muggle clothes, I had to admit. She looked good, but then she always did.  
  
"Morag," Mother was saying, "I'm so sorry about what my husband did—"  
  
Morag shrugged it off as though it were nothing. "It's not your fault, don't you apologize."  
  
Not a girl to bear a grudge, evidently. I had known that Mother and Father's marriage was strained, I had just ignored it and saw what I wanted to see. I guessed that now I knew one of the reasons why it was so strained.  
  
"Well, I don't want to keep you girls from your fun, off you go now." Mother beamed at them. I was surprised when Granger and Weasley smiled back. Este seemed to be so friendly anyway; it didn't surprise me much when she did.  
  
As Morag passed me, I caught her arm and pulled her over to me. I kissed her there and then, and I admit, it was almost entirely because I wanted to make everyone absolutely certain that Morag Lillith Snape was mine, and mine alone. I didn't see what the other girls made of that, after I kissed her I muttered something unintelligible and walked off in the other direction.  
  
~*~  
  
**Hermione's POV**  
  
The Montaque Mansion was stunning, but it wasn't like I hadn't expected Snape's wife to have only the best. After all, I'd read about her family in a wizarding tome about all the 'great wizarding families'.  
  
I was quite surprised about the whole 'their status as purebloods is something of a gray area, even if they are universally accepted as such', though.  
  
Morag led the way as we went out to her mother's Rolls'. She told us that we would be meeting relatives of hers at the Les chiffons aux Richesses headquarters, because so many of the Montaque family and friends worked there, or in the case of friends, met through it, say at a show or something.  
  
When we arrived there, a woman who introduced herself as Rose Renaldi, one of Les chiffons Aux Richesses' most well known designers, greeted us. Ginny looked amazed – her mother had dreamed of owning a Renaldi creation, and Este was busy talking to Morag's cousin who had somehow managed to tag along, Clayton Thorne.  
  
To Morag's surprise, her aunt Lucia and uncle John – Clayton's father – were both in Lucia's office. They looked very close, like any married couple, and I asked why Morag thought it so odd.  
  
"Because," she said impatiently, "Uncle John is Aunt Lucia's __ex__ husband!"  
  
"Oh." That explained that, then. Clayton was sniggering.  
  
"What do you know that I don't?" Morag rounded on him. "I don't see why you would – I see your mother a whole lot more often than just the occasional summer at the mansion."  
  
That, I felt, was uncalled for, and very typical Slytherin. But, from what Harry had told me, she was probably very stressed out, and I paid particular attention when her hands began to shake.  
  
Clayton, it seemed, didn't like her comment either. "Morag, darling," he drawled urbanely, "surely you realize that you aren't all powerful and all knowing? My parents are having an affair. With each other!"  
  
Morag paused to consider this, putting her hands behind her back. I saw Este's eyes narrow, and realized that I was seeing something very important. I just didn't know what.  
  
~*~  
  
**Este's POV**  
  
The next person we were introduced to was Lang Hyland, one of Morag's many relations. Morganna's infamous cousin Lillias's father. He seemed to be very nice, if a little distant. Morag told me that she'd never known him to be any other way, but that her mother said he used to be warm and friendly, until his wife, Nicolette Hyland, had died. Nicolette Adney-Hyland, apparently one of the most beautiful witches in America, which was where he'd been living.  
  
I got the feeling Morag was something of a gossip. And a starved gossip, too, she'd been probably the most unpopular girl at Hogwarts all last year.  
  
Sometimes, I really felt for her.  
  
Aunt Jenni had told me about the illness that Mrs. Snape had, but she never mentioned that Morag had it too.  
  
Maybe she didn't know, after all, hadn't she said how Mrs. Snape – Morganna – was so proud, that she avoided anyone knowing?  
  
Maybe Morag was like that too.  
  
I figured that must be it.  
  
~*~  
  
**Morganna's POV**  
  
Walking in on my sister and her latest flame wasn't something that I was unused to. It was just…walking in on my sister and her ex-husband was a little different.  
  
As usual, she didn't look embarrassed at all, she just told me to knock louder next time.  
  
The difference was, John didn't look embarrassed either. I guess they really did have some things in common.  
  
I waited until John was out of the room to tell her that she'd left her underwear in Marc Tempscire's bathroom. I figured she wouldn't want her latest lover hearing of past – and not so past – escapades. Lucia was like that, caring and compassionate yet at the same time so very mercenary. Marc and his sister Antonia were means to ends, and nothing more. He knew it, Lucia knew it, and even Antonia worked it out eventually.  
  
I smiled at her.  
  
"John?" I asked, putting all my questions into one little word.  
  
"Maybe our relationship wasn't the big mistake we thought it was." Lucia replied, stretching under the covers.  
  
"You were young." I said simply.  
  
"Morganna," she laughed, "you were much younger than I when you were wed to that icy creature you call a husband. Your marriage has lasted fifteen years."  
  
"I don't claim to have all the answers – we leave that to Sybil Trelawney back at Hogwarts, even if her answers are wrong." I laughed.  
  
~*~  
  
Excerpt from the diary of Gloria Anne Montaque:  
  
Diary,  
  
I've been neglecting you. It's been so long since I last wrote – Mother is pregnant! It is going to be a girl, just as I told you. Little Morganna. Mother told me the name she's selected. Morganna Maria Montaque. She seems like an Anna to me, but I don't say so, since Mother is ever distrustful of Divination.  
  
Mother is the only person that my father has ever loved, or even cared about.  
  
He will betray her, one-day, I know it in my bones. One-day, he won't be able to protect her from himself anymore, and she will suffer the consequences.  
  
I pray that she is strong enough, for that she will be very much alone when that happens*.  
  
Gloria Anne.  
  
~*~  
  
*Unfortunately, Delilah Montaque was not strong enough. Her grave is beside her husband's.  
  
Author's Note: what'd you think? REVIEW!!! 


	6. Choices

Disclaimer: Unless some lovely person has bought me an early birthday present, I don't own anything that the benevolent goddess of Hogwarts (JK Rowling) created. Bugger, eh?  
  
Author's Note: Since I don't think anyone's really reading this story anyway, this is probably a waste of time, but here I am, writing anyway. Stupid me, huh? Oh well. To my non-existent (or as my friend Justine is so fond of saying 'null') reviewers, here is chapter six, and anyone who wants to see Severus get drunk and Morag pick between Harry and Draco, here ya go! Also, Jenni turns into Papa Bear from Goldilocks and does a striptease on the roof – no, not really, but I got your attention, didn't I?  
  
Dedicated to: my friends, who I thank for being there for me when I need them, the way Morag's friends (well, friend) are for her. I want you guys to all know how very important to me you are, because without you, I'd probably be a recluse, and I'd never have done that really stupid thing I did last Friday. I pray that I can still look Nick in the eye on Monday.  
  
(You people have sick minds. All I did was tell him I have a crush on him. My God. You people!)  
  
~/~  
  
Chapter Six: Choices  
  
~/~  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
Este looked me in the eye and told me exactly what she thought.  
  
"Your father will never, ever let you date Harry."  
  
I sighed. I knew she was going to say that, and I knew she was right. But it still hurt to hear it aloud. "I know, he hated James and all that. But he was one of Lily's best friends! And he hated Lucius Malfoy almost as much." I was on the defensive, and a defensive strategy is a well-known way to crash and burn.  
  
"He won't accept you and Harry."  
  
"It's not a question of safety anymore, though. Voldemort knows that Father was a spy." I argued.  
  
"He'll send you to America again." She said flatly.  
  
"That was Mother's idea." I said weakly.  
  
~/~  
  
**Severus's POV**  
  
"Morganna."  
  
I heard her come in, she wasn't the best at stealth. I turned, and she came forward to embrace me and bury her face in my shoulder.  
  
"Severus," she whispered, and I knew instantly something was wrong.  
  
Actually, I knew it when I felt her hands shaking against my back. Crohns. Well, at least this time she told me.  
  
She was about to say more, and then she passed out, and went limp in my arms.  
  
I scooped her up – she was so light! When had she last eaten? – and carried her back to our chambers from the piano room where I had been examining her mother's musical instruments. I tucked her into our bed, and then stepped out into the corridor to shout for Renè.  
  
"Master Snape?" he asked, then blanched when he saw her. "Just like Miss Gloria Anne," he whispered, as he fled to find a mediwizard or –witch.  
  
~/~  
  
I sat next to her as the mediwitch clucked over her.  
  
"Overgrown mother hen." I muttered. The woman was France's answer to Madam Pomfrey. I was angry that Morganna had left it so late, angry that she was lying there and wouldn't wake up, and I was taking it out on anyone I could get hold of.  
  
Renè translated what the daft woman said for me. "She says that Anna is suffering from the advanced symptoms of Crohns."  
  
"Will she recover?" I asked immediately, dreading his answer.  
  
Renè looked down. "She doesn't know."  
  
I punched the wall, and told him to bring me a few bottles of wine and then get out.  
  
He did so silently.  
  
~/~  
  
I sat silently with my wife for some time, as I got steadily drunker. Then I started talking to her. I don't know if she could hear me, and I don't know if I really wanted her to hear. I just…talked.  
  
I took her hand in mine, and started talking.  
  
"You wanted to come to France, Morganna, you said you wanted to talk to your old friends, see your family. You missed it, you told me. I brought you here, Morganna; I gave in, didn't I? Morag and her friends are in the parlor, doing god knows what.  
  
"I love you, Morganna, dearest, wake up. I couldn't bear to lose you, not now, not so soon after getting you back. Please, Morganna."  
  
~/~  
  
**Harry's POV**  
  
Morag's mother was in a coma, and Professor Snape was with her. I heard what Morag's servants were saying – he was getting really, really drunk.  
  
I could understand that. From what the mediwitch said to Morag, her mother could go either way. She might never wake up, or she could be up and about tomorrow. He really loved her, and it was understandable. I hadn't known Mrs. Snape long, but she was kind, warm, caring, beautiful, and motherly. If only I were born 31 years ago…!  
  
Morag was sitting with Este, Hermione and Ginny, who were trying to comfort her.  
  
Hermione hadn't trusted her at first, but this seemed to bypass that.  
  
Draco seemed at a loss. He didn't know what to do; anyone could see it in his eyes. He'd lost his own father so recently – the father that would have tortured her mother in a second, the father that hadn't cared a jot for anyone, not even him or his mother.  
  
That night was a night for choices, important ones.  
  
~/~  
  
**Jenni's POV**  
  
"Severus?" I entered their chambers quietly. Sev was really drunk, that much was obvious. Morganna lay oblivious to all around her, the tears that were rolling down her husband's face, the pain and fear in her daughter's eyes…she looked angelic, like Severus talked his way into Heaven and stole her away.  
  
And now, God was thinking about taking her back.  
  
"What?" his words were slurred, and he looked godawful.  
  
"Severus." I repeated. "You like you've been dead a few months and then someone dug you right back up."  
  
"Well, we might be burying Morganna sometime soon, according to that good for nothing mediwitch." Severus growled. "Maybe I'll go with her. Nobody needs me around here, anyway. I can see it, don't think I can't. The evil old Death Eater, that's what all those students think of me. That I'm going to fail them in Potions just because I can. That I eat babies for breakfast and I'm going over to the Dark side just as soon as I can work out how."  
  
"Don't be an arse, Severus." I said, tired. "Morganna's not dead," I caught myself before I said 'yet', "and Morag needs you. Now more than ever!"  
  
"Morag is not my daughter."  
  
With a sharp intake of breath, I drew back from him.  
  
And then I hit him. Hard.  
  
"That's what Morganna's been moping about, isn't it? That's why she's been trying so hard to make you happy, because she thought that you didn't care about Morag and that you might leave them." It all made sense. Morganna was like that. "And now maybe you will lose her, and you're getting pissy over Morag's parentage? You're a real prat, you know that? Lucius had nothing on you, Severus Snape."  
  
He recoiled from me as if he'd been struck.  
  
Hey wait, he had been struck. Good.  
  
"So when Morag needs her father the very most, he's sitting in here, getting drunk, and whining that she isn't his daughter." I continued, furious with him. "You know better than almost anyone why Morganna did what she did with that stupid O'Connell prat. So, Morag's 'natural father' is O'Connell? Who gives a damn? You raised her. You held her in your arms when she was a baby and laughed when she tried to stick her toes in your mouth. You watched her when she had her first steps. You watched indulgently when Morganna told anyone who'd listen about Morag's first words. I still say that 'Moop' is not a word, but saying that to Morganna would be like kicking a puppy. A Golden Retriever puppy. So you have to make a choice, Severus. Are you Morganna's husband and Morag's father, who Morganna loves, is blindly devoted to, and who Morag wants to make proud, or are you some bitter idiot who is going to lose everyone he loves if he isn't careful?"  
  
He didn't answer.  
  
I didn't really expect him to.  
  
~/~  
  
**Ginny's POV**  
  
I was way over Harry now; Kieran and I had been dating for a few months. So when he started liking Morag Snape, I thought, hey, fine, cool for Harry.  
  
Then I find out that she's Kieran's half sister, and she's dating Malfoy. Bugger for Harry, huh?  
  
Then it all goes south for her too. Mrs. Snape might be dying, nobody's sure. The butler guy is wandering around moping about how she's going to die just like her sister Gloria Anne, and the servants keep going up to the Snape's chambers with bottles of wine.  
  
For Professor Snape, I guessed.  
  
Este's aunt came down from the Snape's chambers looking like she might throttle someone.  
  
I was talking quiet reassuring nothings to Morag with Hermione and Este, and watching idly as my stupid brothers talked to Harry, and Malfoy stood by the window, doing the 'Strong and Silent' thing.  
  
Idiots.  
  
If Draco loved Morag so much, he should have gotten off his arse and comforted her. And if Harry did, he would too. I guessed they were just scared.  
  
So was Morag.  
  
~/~  
  
**Renè's POV**  
  
I'm a butler. I listen at doors.  
  
It seemed to be that they all had choices to make that night, and it wasn't going to be easy for anyone.  
  
~/~  
  
Author's Note: Nyah, nyah, I'm not telling… 


	7. I Love You

Disclaimer: Anything created by JK Rowling does not belong to me. Unless some lovely person has gone out and bought me an early birthday present…? No? Oh well.  
  
Author's Note: Will Morganna die? I don't know? Don't ask me that. I refuse to answer such questions at this point in time. Okay, one hint:  
  
If I kill Morgy, the heading of the chapter for that will be: Saying Goodbye  
  
~/~  
  
Chapter Seven: I love you  
  
~/~  
  
**Third Person Writing From Here On In**  
  
Morag was nestled in the safety and reassuring warmth of Draco's arms.  
  
Ginny sat with Kieran, and Ron was watching Hermione.  
  
Hermione, the girl he wanted for himself, his girlfriend.  
  
Who was technically still the girlfriend of that renowned Quidditch player, Viktor Krum.  
  
Ron swore. He'd taken her to the Yule Ball, but it hadn't meant anything, or so he'd led her to believe.  
  
"I love you, Hermione." He whispered.  
  
She didn't hear.  
  
Harry watched Morag and Draco with jealousy and envy barely hidden. Este sighed, and tapped him on the arm.  
  
"Let him have her, Harry." She said softly.  
  
"How can you say that?" he ground out, staring at his hands.  
  
"Do you think Professor Snape is going to let you date his daughter? Draco is a safe choice. You're the 'Boy Who Lived', Voldemort wants you to be the boy who died painfully. Draco is just the boy who had a girlfriend that wasn't all she seemed to be, and she's the girl who lied. Voldemort wants her dead, and Draco punished. Harry, Morag's not safe whether she's with you or Draco, really, but her father will accept him. Not you." Este wasn't really arguing, or taking sides, just stating the obvious.  
  
"I love her." Harry muttered.  
  
"Draco does too."  
  
"The Serpent and the Lion shall be united and in their union is our safekeeping." Harry quoted.  
  
"Oh, give over, Harry." Este said impatiently. "That's not talking about you and Morag, it can't be."  
  
"It could be."  
  
"And Gom 'could' turn into a human and give you and Draco some competition, but it's not too likely." Este replied.  
  
Harry just sat there.  
  
~/~  
  
Draco and Morag were quiet, until she spoke suddenly, softly.  
  
"Father doesn't want me anymore."  
  
Shocked, Draco replied, "Don't be absurd. Your father loves you."  
  
"I'm not his daughter, not really, and he doesn't love me. He said so. I heard him."  
  
"When?" he managed to say finally.  
  
"When he was sitting with Mother, and he was talking to Jenni. He said I wasn't his daughter, and you'd have to be stupid not to see what he meant."  
  
Draco shook his head and held her tighter. "You're overreacting, Morag."  
  
Morag hoped he was right, but she didn't think he was.  
  
~/~  
  
The hand that Severus had been holding, warm, yet limp, almost lifeless, twitched.  
  
He was gradually sobering up – Jenni had given the servants strict orders not to give him any alcohol, under any circumstances. So he noticed.  
  
Morganna's fingers curled around his, and she stirred.  
  
"Morganna?" he had thought he was beyond hope, but here it was, interrupting his miserable brooding.  
  
She frowned, and opened her eyes. "Severus?"  
  
Then she sniffed. "You've been drinking."  
  
Severus was never one for the great big emotional displays, but he caught her in his arms and held her tightly, as if making sure this wasn't just a dream conjured up by wishful thinking.  
  
"You've been drinking." She repeated. "Where is Morag?"  
  
"She's in the parlor with the other children – teens, whatever they like to be called – they're waiting for word of you." Severus told her, looking at the ceiling, but she caught the guilty flash in his eyes.  
  
She chose not to say anything of it. He had been a right shit over the years about Morag's parentage, always when he was in a bad mood about something was when he'd bring it up. It hurt, since in a way, it was his fault that she was here. She didn't blame him, she never had, but she knew he blamed himself for the mistakes she made with Jonathan. This was probably just one more nasty comment from an angry, drunk man.  
  
Severus stood up. "I'll go tell them you're all right."  
  
"That'd be a good idea." Morganna nodded, settling back into the pillows. She still felt awful, but at least she was conscious.  
  
~/~  
  
After the others had gone up to their rooms, and her father had gone back to sit with her mother, who she'd seen, Morag remained in the parlor, in front of the fire.  
  
"So you heard that."  
  
It was Jenni, standing by the door.  
  
"Heard what?" Morag questioned, but she knew what Jenni meant.  
  
"What your father said earlier."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I heard you talking to Draco."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" Jenni asked, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Maybe I should just do everyone a favor and stay in France with Mother's family."  
  
"Do you want to?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why then?"  
  
"Because I don't want a father that doesn't love me." Morag replied, hurt showing in her eyes. The idea that she'd been lied to for years, that all those emotions, however brief, had been feigned, was painful.  
  
"Maybe you might want to talk to your parents." Jenni suggested.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
~/~  
  
Just as Morganna was drifting off to sleep that night, she murmured to Severus, "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too." He replied, but she was already asleep.  
  
~/~  
  
Author's Note: Gah. I still don't know whether it should be Draco or Harry, and I'm trying to work out how I can bring Gloria Anne back into the plot. I'm bouncing around too much, aren't I? Eurgh. I promise faithfully that I will do my best for the next chapter… 


	8. Obscurity

Disclaimer: JK Rowling created this world, I'm just fiddling with it.  
  
Author's Note: Draco, Harry, Draco, Harry? I __still__ don't know. Prophecy- ness points to Harry. Everything else points to Draco. GAH!  
  
Extra Notes: this story is coming along very, very slowly. I know, and I am trying to do it a bit faster, but I've got so many stories to work on at once, because if I don't write them down they go round and round in my head and I can't concentrate properly unless I get them all down. So I'm writing half a dozen stories at a time, which is hard! Check out 'Wishful Thinking' (by me), it's a 'what if…' story using my characters and a few of JK Rowling's. Basically, it's 'What if Morganna and Severus never spoke again after the 'I love you' 'I'm engaged' conversation, only that conversation took place after a little midnight 'extra curricular activity' that resulted in a baby? (There is no, I repeat, no smut in my story) And what if Lily Potter had never died, but James had saved both her and Harry, and she was in protective custody (in France) while Harry was with the Dursleys?' The 'I love you' 'I'm engaged' conversation is from my story 'Once Upon A Time'.  
  
Extra-extra notes: I'm going to have a better look at Narcissa Malfoy in this chapter. I feel I have neglected an important part of the tale by ignoring Narcissa's part in it. Oh, and I'm giving her a sister, Constance Perrier. Nice name, don't you think?  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Eight: Obscurity  
  
~*~  
  
Morag sat alone in her room. It was dark, but a single moonbeam shone through her window to shine on her silvery hair. She felt oddly calm, tranquil.  
  
She saw something flickering in the mirror, it looked as though there was something – someone – behind her on the bed.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
There was a ghostly chuckle, a soft laugh.  
  
"My name is Gloria."  
  
~*~  
  
Draco lay in his bed, trying to sleep. It was late at night; he listened for the usual nightly noises. But the Montaque Mansion was silent. No screams tore the night as his father tortured the house elves for amusement. No choked tears as his mother sobbed into her pillow. Just…silence.  
  
It was bloody unnerving, and he found, to his dismay, he couldn't sleep.  
  
This was what he had always wanted, peace. And it was keeping him awake. Damn.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry was fast asleep, a dreamless sleep that he had achieved with a little help from a draught of a potion Madam Pomfrey had given him.  
  
Morganna stood in the doorway (okay, leaned on it for support), and prayed that somehow, Lily was watching over her son. That she could see what a grand young man he had grown into. Lily would be proud of him Morganna thought to herself.  
  
She slipped quietly out as he slept, blissfully unaware.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione, Ginny and Este were in Ginny's room. Este had been pulled into their little circle, and they were gossiping, (well, Ginny was gossiping at them) and sharing a midnight snack.  
  
~*~  
  
Fred and George were exploring the mansion, it was a pretty impressive piece of work.  
  
~*~  
  
Ron was listening at the door as Ginny convinced Hermione and Este to play Truth or Dare.  
  
"Shouldn't we get Morag to come play too?" that was Este, the slightly unfamiliar voice.  
  
"Maybe next time. She seems to me like she needs some time to herself." Ginny. Ron felt proud of his little sister – so very insightful.  
  
"Ginny's right. Besides, why are we playing this again?" Hermione sounded uncomfortable. Ron settled down to listen.  
  
~*~  
  
"Gloria? She's…"  
  
Morag trailed off.  
  
"Dead?" Gloria supplied. "Yes, I am. I'm also a ghost. It's sort of interesting to appear to people from time to time. You must be Anna's daughter Morag. I was hoping she'd name you Angelica, it's such a pretty name. But as far as I can gather, O'Connell's one request in regard to you was that you be named after his mother, Morag O'Connell. So here you are."  
  
"I'm named after my grandmother?" Morag queried. "How odd."  
  
"You've been reading my diary, Morag Lillith." Gloria floated around to stand before her. She could easily see the family resemblance – Gloria looked so much like Morag's own mother. Taller, though. Her hair seemed to be toyed with by a non-existent breeze, she seemed ethereal. Not like the Hogwarts ghosts, who seemed just floating people who happened to be transparent, Gloria was what Morag had always imagined a ghost should look like. She wore a light nightdress, milky white, and the only color in her was her brilliant blue eyes.  
  
"So I have, Gloria-Anne." She replied calmly. She recalled Rene had mentioned Gloria's habit of using one's first and second names.  
  
"That's a breach of privacy, Mora-Lilli." Gloria slipped into her odd habits, creating odd little nicknames for people. For example, Morganna she had always thought of as 'Anna-Maria', Lucia had been 'Luci-Jacqui', and Lacrimosa had been 'Lacci-Cassie'. Lucia Jacqueline Montaque and Lacrimosa Cassandra Montaque-Perrault.  
  
"You're dead, Aunt Glori-Anne." Morag pointed out.  
  
"You are the observant one, aren't you?" Gloria laughed. "May I keep you company? Babette ran away from me, you see. She saw me once and then she just wouldn't go anywhere near my floor. None of the maids will either. I'm so lonely up there. I'm not really supposed to come down here – Rene doesn't like frightened maids – but I felt I had to meet you in person. And Anna-Maria, I had to check on my baby sister."  
  
"I'd like to see your room, Aunt Glori-Anne." Morag admitted. "But Mother said I must have respect for the dead and won't tell me where it is."  
  
"I can do better than tell you. I can show you. And do just call me Glori- Anne, I feel so very old when you call me 'Aunt'. I know, I've been a ghost for thirty-one years, and which means if I was alive today I'd be forty- seven, but I count by how old I was when I died, so I'm sixteen." Gloria beamed at her niece, and then began to float towards the door. "Come along, Mora-Lilli, have I got things to show you!"  
  
~*~  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
Damn. I thought he was asleep Morganna thought, and sighed. "I was checking on the children."  
  
Severus frowned at her. "You should have been in bed. You're not supposed to be wandering around the place."  
  
"It's not like I was running about." Morganna retorted, climbing back under the covers.  
  
"Don't do that again, please, Morganna?" Severus put his arms around her gently. "You worried me."  
  
"Oh all right." She gave in quickly, too tired to argue further.  
  
Severus went to say more, but her regular breathing gave away the fact that she'd fallen asleep. He arranged her more comfortably and then settled down to sleep himself.  
  
~*~  
  
Narcissa Malfoy sat at her dressing table. Morganna had kindly allowed her and her son to remain here for as long as they needed to – Narcissa didn't want to go back to Malfoy Manor, and it was really the only place she had.  
  
It's foolish she thought, but a part of me misses Lucius. I suppose I loved him once, but I rather think I only loved the fiction I created around him  
  
Narcissa ran a comb through her pale blonde hair* and tried to think of what she was going to do next. As Lucius's wife, she inherited Malfoy Manor.  
  
She didn't want it.  
  
She got his money.  
  
She didn't want it.  
  
She got his 'personal effects'.  
  
She certainly didn't want those.  
  
She had a sinking feeling that without his money, his house, she'd have nothing. Her own parents had died a few years ago, and left everything to her older sister, Constance. Constance Perrier, the one who had divorced her husband – a Death Eater – and gone back to her old life. The one who had had the guts to stand up to her husband and prove herself worthy of the respect she had always commanded.  
  
Narcissa wished she were more like Constance. Brave, bold, fearless. A tower of strength in her own right, Constance had never let anyone push her down. Narcissa felt grateful to Morganna – who had never liked or trusted Lucius – for letting her and Draco remain here. After all the pain Lucius had caused, Narcissa counted her blessings that anyone was willing to talk to her.  
  
Morag held no grudges against her. It stunned Narcissa that this girl could be caused so much pain by Lucius, and then greet his wife with such friendliness and no forgiveness – for in Morag's eyes there was nothing for her to forgive. Narcissa had done nothing.  
  
And that was what pained her.  
  
She had done nothing. She knew what Lucius was doing was wrong and she never even protested.  
  
Constance would have protested.  
  
Morganna would have protested.  
  
But not Narcissa. Narcissa had stayed quiet, Narcissa had been silent, and Narcissa had never even considered protesting.  
  
She knew it was wrong, and it never occurred to her that she might do something.  
  
'You'd never have succeeded.' A little voice in her head whispered.  
  
But I could have tried! She cried out silently.  
  
'What could you have done? He would have not thought twice before killing you.' The voice persisted.  
  
I am as guilty as my husband. I saw the wrongdoing and I did nothing.  
  
'There was nothing you could have done.'  
  
I should have tried.  
  
~*~  
  
*I may have gotten the color wrong. I personally have always pictured Narcissa Malfoy as a brunette, but then thought that the senior Malfoy would probably have been partial to blondes, and have recalled that it might in at least one place say she's got blonde hair. So, if I'm wrong, let me know, but I don't think I am.  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
If you're bothering to read this, please review. It is so demoralizing to look at a story and find only the reviews that were there before – which are all from the same person, anyway.  
  
No, Narcissa's not going to be a main character. I just wanted to have a look inside her head and see what makes her tick.  
  
Draco is an imbecile. A very adorable imbecile, but an imbecile none the less.  
  
If you don't understand the title of this chapter, that's all well and good, because I'm not going to bother explaining it. If you think you understand the title, do let me know, I'd like to see other people's ideas about my own [ideas].  
  
This is the probably the fourth chapter set at nighttime. I don't know what it is with the dark and I but the Snape's story seems best set against the night. So much going on in this family (and the surrounding sub-plots of other people's unhappiness) seems somewhat dark, so I suppose it makes sense to give them a closer look at night. 


	9. Let There Be Hope

Disclaimer: anything created by JK Rowling (Hogwarts' Benevolent Goddess) I clearly do not own, and cannot take credit for.  
  
Author's Notes: Thank you Rouge Magie, for putting on your bio that people should r&r my stories!  
  
Dedicated to (as I have been forgetting dedications of late): all my reviewers, may whatever you believe is up there running this gig smile upon you! For any atheists, agnostics, whatever: may other people smile at you.  
  
There, I think I catered to all there…  
  
Thank you everyone who has reviewed this story and any other stories I've written!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Nine: Let there be hope  
  
~*~  
  
Draco stared at the mirror that morning.  
  
He made up his mind. It was early, she'd probably be half asleep anyway, but he felt he had neglected her lately, and she deserved better than that.  
  
Walking out to her door, he knocked.  
  
"Morag?"  
  
Eventually, she came to the door. Tousled hair and half-shut eyes greeted him, and she smiled.  
  
"Morag, you do know that I love you, don't you?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" she seemed suddenly suspicious. "You aren't going to go and do anything stupid, are you?"  
  
"No, of course not. I just…I do love you, Morag. I've heard Harry talking about that stupid prophecy thing – well; it's just more Divination nonsense. I've seen Professor Trelawney mooning over it, it doesn't mean anything. It's a fairy tale, in case he hadn't noticed, the stories about that prophecy actually state who the 'Serpent' and the 'Lion' are supposed to be, and they've already lived their happily ever after. I love you, Morag, and I don't ever, ever want to lose you." It all came out in a rush, and Morag smiled faintly and kissed him.  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
~*~  
  
"Fred, would you pass the butter?"  
  
That morning went much like any other. The large group ate in the dining room, and breakfast conversation was quiet and hesitant. Some of these people had probably never said a civil word to each other, yet here they were, breaking their fasts together and discussing topics pleasantly.  
  
Any topic but the events of that year.  
  
No mention of Voldemort.  
  
They all knew he was coming back. It was inevitable.  
  
He had come back from worse already, and he was coming back again.  
  
Silence fell, for the first time in days. Always were they speaking, laughing, moving and discussing. Now there was nothing left for them to talk about, nothing left but the one thing they could not bear to think of.  
  
Dear God, they all prayed silently, let there be hope.  
  
~*~  
  
"Jenni, I'm worried." Morganna told her friend that afternoon. Everyone had gone their separate ways for the day, trying to enjoy their holiday.  
  
"What about?" Jenni asked.  
  
"I'm not really sure." She confessed. "But something strikes me as…worrying. Severus and Morag don't seem to be speaking at all, Harry and Draco act like caged tigers whenever they're in the same room, and Morag seems somehow cut off from everyone else. I don't know what to think."  
  
"They've all been through a fairly traumatic year, Morganna. Everyone has. Voldemort…attacking Hogwarts…you know how terrifying that was. Hogwarts was a sanctuary…a safe haven. Nobody ever thought he would attack Hogwarts." Jenni replied, thoughtful.  
  
"It's still worrying."  
  
"I know."  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Notes: I know, really short chapter – not even a whole page – but this was all I could come up with and I felt I had to put up **something** 


	10. Thoughtful

Disclaimer: I don't own, just borrowing JK Rowling's world and a few of her characters.  
  
Author's Note: I haven't written anything for a while now, so I'm writing some more now. Don't know if it'll actually be any good though.  
  
Dedication: gotta love that 'cute guy in bathing suit' thing, so this is dedicated to whichever angel gave us school swimming! Jokes, jokes, there are next to no cute guys in my class, so swimming will be just for the swimming. Sigh. Can't have everything. No, this isn't dedicated to anyone at all. Though if someone will supply my class with a few more cuties, they will be assured a lifetime of dedications…?  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Ten: Thoughtful  
  
~*~  
  
Draco and the other boys were watching the girls.  
  
They were in the lake, swimming.  
  
Hermione Granger…in a bathing suit? Who'd have thought she'd look so good?  
  
Ron Weasley, evidently. Draco found himself looking at the mudblood – muggle-born, he corrected himself, Morag didn't like the 'm' word – in a whole new way.  
  
But not the way he looked at his Morag, rising like an Aphrodite from the water.  
  
He didn't even bother to be jealous when Harry looked at her with his heart in his eyes.  
  
Harry was no competition at all.  
  
"Come on, you chickens," Ginny shouted, "get in the water!"  
  
"Chickens? We resent that!" Fred and George replied in unison, leaping into what might well have been cold water.  
  
Morag laughed delightedly as Ron, Harry and Draco gritted their teeth and joined the others.  
  
Este and Morag started a game of tag in the water, meaning Morag was chased enthusiastically by Draco – Harry being wary of Draco's wrath and lagging behind a bit – and Este, funnily enough, was chased by George.  
  
Go figure.  
  
"Gotcha!" George whooped with glee, catching Este.  
  
Draco almost had Morag, but she eluded him again, diving under the water to go swimming like a fish beneath him. Fred, who only caught her because she wasn't looking where she was going and crashed into his leg, unfortunately caught her.  
  
Ginny laughed as Ron chased Hermione into the deeper water, meaning she had to come past him to get back to the shallows.  
  
"Wow, Ron, maybe you aren't as stupid as we all like to think." Ginny grinned at her brother.  
  
"Gee thanks, I think." He didn't turn; he might miss Hermione if he did.  
  
"Este and George look awful friendly…" Harry said suggestively. Hermione, who had by now been caught by Ron – and wasn't too upset by the looks of things – hit him on the arm.  
  
"You're obsessed with that sort of thing, Harry." She scolded. "Some people can just be friendly, you know?"  
  
"Sure they can, sure they can."*  
  
"And don't snigger like that, it looks awful."  
  
Long silence.  
  
"The pouting is worse, Harry, trust me. The pouting is worse."  
  
~*~  
  
"It seems so…normal." Narcissa marveled. "Everyone's acting like one big family. It's like nothing ever happened."  
  
"We need to stick together, Cissa." Morganna sighed. "All of us. More tea, Molly**?"  
  
"Yes, thank you, Anna." Molly smiled, holding out her cup and saucer. Morganna took it, pouring the tea.  
  
"Hogwarts was hard for all of us, and now it's hard for them." Narcissa said with a faint sigh.  
  
"I always thought you Slytherins had it easy." Molly confessed. "I mean, everyone thought the Death Eaters were Slytherins, and the way they behaved during the various tragedies just fueled the rumors…"  
  
"I don't blame you," Morganna patted Molly's hand reassuringly. "Those years were not our best. Lily Evans was my best friend, but I don't doubt that even she would be hard pressed to find something good to say about the way we all behaved."  
  
"We were just being our usual inhuman selves." Narcissa agreed. "We were just like everyone else underneath. Fear drove us on."  
  
"I'm so sorry about Lucius." Molly said hesitantly.  
  
Narcissa's eyes clouded. "He deserved what he got." She replied softly.  
  
Morganna and Molly exchanged a glance that was nearly two and a half glances long. "Cissa," Morganna started, but Narcissa cut her off.  
  
"Don't, Anna. I know what you're going to say and I've heard it all before. It's what I told myself for years. I won't be lied to anymore, not by myself and certainly not by my friends. Lucius wasn't a nice man underneath it all. He deserved what he got and then some. Anna, you had no reason to ever even like Lucius, don't sell out now by praising his memory. His memory should be spat on." She was vehement. Anger spurred on her tirade against her late husband. "Normally I would not speak ill of the dead, you know I wouldn't. But if I could turn back the clock, I never would have even looked at him. I would have run for cover. You were right all along, Anna. He was an 'inbred freak of nature' and a bastard. You had the right idea, setting him on fire all the time."  
  
A little shocked – Narcissa shocked at herself – the three women fell silent.  
  
"Narcissa," Molly began, "I have never liked your husband, and by association, you. I was wrong about you. I am sorry."  
  
"You are quite forgiven."  
  
They sat companionably, listening to the clock tick.  
  
~*~  
  
Severus watched his daughter as she ran and laughed on the lakeside with her friends.  
  
Friends.  
  
What an odd concept.  
  
He had friends. An odder concept.  
  
For the past few months, Morag had shunned everyone, including him and Morganna.  
  
And yet there she was. Laughing, running. Morag at play.  
  
He found it rather unnerving to see the cold young woman – or as her fellow Slytherins termed her, the ice-bitch – be so warm and affectionate to anyone.  
  
And he wasn't sure he liked her with Draco Malfoy.  
  
Malfoy.  
  
His fists clenched involuntarily at the thought of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
The man who lay hands upon his wife, took her away from him and kept her captive.  
  
Who cursed him with Consumption in his seventh and final year of Hogwarts.  
  
Damn near killed him.  
  
Lucius, who denounced Morganna as an evil veela – veela she was, but never evil. Morganna had an irrepressible bubbly spirit, a kindness, a caring that had drawn Severus himself, among others, to her.  
  
Morganna. His beautiful angel, Morganna.  
  
She was a soothing balm on his soul, someone that loved him beyond words and would never, ever give up on him.  
  
There had been few like that.  
  
Lily, Jenni, Morganna. Why was it that his closest friends were pretty young women, hmmm?  
  
He almost laughed at the idea. He managed to avoid the various rumors like 'Snape loves a Gryffindor', or 'Snape loves the Ravenclaw twin', or the one he had dreaded, 'Snape loves the French girl'.  
  
Only the last one was true. Jenni and Lily had been his best friends – his sisters? – but Morganna held his heart in the palm of her hand.  
  
Delightfully fancy-free she had seemed. Like she hadn't a care in the world.  
  
How wrong can you be?  
  
Morganna was an incessant worrier. About him, mostly. Also about Lily, and about James – though she tended not to mention that so much around Severus – a worrier about Jenni and Ame and Narcissa and all her other friends.  
  
And her family.  
  
God.  
  
Severus had met her sister, Lacrimosa, once.  
  
Once had been enough, thank you very much.  
  
Lacrimosa Jacqueline Perrault was one of the nastiest, most vicious women in France. Her cruelty might rival even Voldemort at times, but she didn't want to rule the world.  
  
She was too creative for that. It would take her forever, but she'd probably torture her way to power.  
  
Or so he had heard, from what Gom said, from what Morganna said.  
  
He knew Morganna was afraid of her. Apparently, anyone in their right mind would be afraid of Lacrimosa.  
  
Maxwell Montaque III had been proud of her.  
  
That man was given the Dementor's Kiss for what he did.  
  
Didn't exactly inspire one to trust his opinion of someone. Morganna insisted that Lacrimosa – 'Lacci darling' as some called her, though she was quite evil – was one of – if not the – cruelest people she had the displeasure of knowing.  
  
Including Voldemort.  
  
As daughter of a prominent French Death Eater – and then wife of one of the prominent English Death Eaters (hadn't Daddy been proud) – Morganna had had the displeasure of Voldemort's company before.  
  
Plenty of times.  
  
Never, until only a few months ago, as his prisoner.  
  
It had been frightening for Severus, to lose her, even for a little while.  
  
She was his Morganna, eternal. She hadn't even changed much from when she was sixteen. No taller, and she had her 'girlish figure' – even after Morag.  
  
And she was just always there. He took her for granted, took for granted the fact that she would be there.  
  
No more.  
  
~*~  
  
~*~Meanwhile in England~*~  
  
"Blaise, this is no laughing matter." Pansy protested.  
  
"Draco is stuck with Potter, Weasley and Granger for the summer with Morag the Snow Bitch from Hell in France, and you think it's no laughing matter? Pansy, I always knew you were stupid. Evidently I didn't know how stupid." Blaise giggled.  
  
"She stole my Draco." Pansy whined. "I want him back."  
  
"She's prettier, smarter and bitchier than you are, Pansy. In other words, she is the Slytherin Woman – well, the Slytherin Bitch – and you are the Slytherin Lapdog, specifically Draco's. Who would want the yes-man – yes- girl – when they can have someone who will stimulate the body and the mind?" Blaise summed it up.  
  
"You're such a bitch, Blaise." Pansy accused.  
  
"Why, thank you."  
  
"That so wasn't a compliment."  
  
"I'm a Slytherin, Pansy, it so was." Blaise prodded her 'friend'. "You're a Slytherin too, Pans, so stop sniveling like fucking Longbottom and start acting like one."  
  
"Bitch."  
  
"Plaything."  
  
"Arrgh!"  
  
~*~  
  
Author's note: Just threw in that bit at the bottom for no real reason. An excuse to tease Pansy Parkinson? Probably.  
  
*Eleanor, I'm really sorry, but everyone was getting all angsty over a guy, so Este and George are going to be the picture-perfect couple and drive everyone up the wall. It's official. The Este in my story will be dating George Weasley.  
  
~ Adele is aware that Eleanor may now wish to hunt her down. She is taking precautions, and also offering to write a Dorau-Torturing fic to make up for it. Then again, Eleanor might like the idea…well, she might ~  
  
**Might not be Mrs. Weasley's name. Well it bloody well is now. 


	11. A Question, An Answer

Disclaimer: I don't own JK Rowling's world, I just go in there and mess things up a bit. Well, a lot.  
  
Author's Note: Here it is! Finally! The moment of truth! Who does Morag love most? Is it Draco, or is it Harry? And what will happen over the summer when she makes her decision? **grinning evilly**  
  
Dedicated to: Shannon and Eleanor, who I Hogwarts role-play with the most.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Eleven: A Question, An Answer  
  
~*~  
  
"Choose, Morag."  
  
"Yes, choose."  
  
"Choose…Morag,"  
  
"No, I don't want to…"  
  
"Don't want to what? You have to get up, silly." Este gave her friend a shove, and Morag tumbled out of bed.  
  
"I had a dream." Morag said, rubbing her head where she hit it on the floor.  
  
"Anything interesting?" Este asked cheerfully.  
  
"It kept telling me to choose."  
  
"I think I can shed some light on that one. Draco, or Harry?" Este remained cheerful as ever, which was unsurprisingly annoying.  
  
"I probably should choose."  
  
"But you don't want to."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"You said 'No, I don't want to', it was somewhat obvious." Este grinned. Morag thwacked her with a pillow.  
  
A large pillow-fight ensued, made even more interesting when Ginny and Hermione leapt into the fray.  
  
~*~  
  
Two hours later – and covered in feathers – the four girls trooped down to get some breakfast, still in their pajamas.  
  
"You look like you've been having fun." George told them nonchalantly. He seemed to be paying particular attention to Este. "I'll be out in the garden if anyone wants me." He sauntered out.  
  
Este was gone in less than a minute, leaving Hermione, Ginny and Morag to collapse against the table in helpless laughter.  
  
"Este and…George?" Ginny managed finally. "That's so unbelievable."  
  
"Believe it, Ginny." Hermione giggled. "George got himself a girlfriend, and she's at least a head shorter than him."  
  
Morag joined the giggling. "It's about time Este got a boyfriend. I was starting to worry, you know. She just never talked about guys…scary. Speaking of, how's Ron, Hermione?" Morag asked slyly.  
  
"Morag!" Hermione made to thwack her, but Morag ducked.  
  
"Oh come on, don't tell me you haven't seen how he looks at you! An idiot can see that…and you most certainly are not an idiot." Ginny rolled her eyes.  
  
Hermione blushed, just a little. "Okay, so I have seen, but I figured he was looking at some french girl behind me or something."  
  
"Trust us, Mione, he was looking at you." Morag nodded fervently. "I'll bet he's just worried about what Viktor might do to him if he actually approached you. Speaking of, how's Viktor?"  
  
Now Hermione really did blush. "I told him I was spending summer vacation here, and he's coming over from Bulgaria."  
  
"Ooh, the possibilities," Morag and Ginny chorused.  
  
"You two are so incorrigible."  
  
"Back it up, Mione, what's incorrigible?" Ginny asked, discombobulated.  
  
~*~  
  
Viktor Krum turned up on the Montaque doorstep not long after. He was staying at a hotel in Paris, and wanted to visit Hermione.  
  
"Is Herm-own-ninny here?" he asked the butler, struggling with her name.  
  
"Miss Hermione is with the other youngsters in the lake." Rene informed him. "Come with me, sir."  
  
When they arrived by the lake, Viktor was accosted with the sight of guys- against-girls tag in the lake, which looked like a whole lotta fun.  
  
"Eeep!" Hermione cried, dodging Fred and bumping into George. "Bugger!"  
  
"One down, three to go!" the boys chorused.  
  
Morag was in the process of eluding Draco when she spotted Viktor.  
  
"Viktor, it's wonderful to see you again," she beamed, having met him when his mother visited a Les chiffons show, "do join us."  
  
"Morag," Viktor smiled at her, "Vare is Herm-own-ninny."  
  
"It's Her-My-Oh-Knee, Viktor, and she's the one being held hostage by the Weasley twins. They're going to tickle her into submission if we don't reveal the location of their underwear." Morag informed him, a wicked gleam in her eyes.  
  
Draco sneaked up behind her and caught her around the waist.  
  
"Gotcha, Mora. Salutations, Krum." Draco drawled, hoisting Morag over his shoulder. "Got to go add Morag to the hostages, sorry old boy. Do join the fun, you could always be the dashing savior. The girls have all been talking about you, Ron was listening at doors last night."  
  
"I was not!" Ron denied, before George and Fred really did have to hold Hermione back.  
  
Poor Ron. Nobody believed him…  
  
Viktor was convinced to join the boys' team, and was watching with amusement as George abandoned Fred to take care of the hostages to speed after Este. Este wasn't really trying to get away…  
  
"That's sickening." Morag murmured into Draco's chest. "Can't they have a big fight, Este come sulking to her friends and George shout things like 'I just don't understand girls'? This is unnatural…"  
  
Brushing a strand of damp hair out of her eyes, Draco grinned wickedly. "No thanks, Mora. I've learnt the hard way – when one girl is angry at her boyfriend, all the other girls are angry at their boyfriends too, and I rather like you in a good mood."  
  
"Does that mean you don't like me when I'm in a bad mood?" Morag pouted, and batted her eyelashes at him.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say that precisely…you're so ticklish!" Draco tickled her mercilessly, successfully changing the subject.  
  
~*~  
  
The girls, who were guilty of hiding the boys clothing (specifically their underwear, but other items were missing also), ended up hiding together in an old bedroom, on the bed. The clothing in the wardrobe distracted them, and soon the group were enjoying themselves trying on the beautiful gowns contained therein.  
  
"Oh my god," Morag exclaimed, "I know whose room this is – was."  
  
"Whose?" the other girls gathered around her.  
  
"My Aunt Gloria-Anne."  
  
~*~  
  
Hours later, in the evening, Morag was sitting by the fire when Harry and Draco approached her. Evidently, they'd reached some sort of agreement.  
  
"Choose, Morag."  
  
"What?" startled out of her reverie, she had a sinking feeling about what they meant.  
  
"You're sending out all sorts of conflicting messages. We want to know, who is it?" Draco's eyes bored into her.  
  
Harry was silent.  
  
"Can I think about it?" Morag asked.  
  
"No, Morag, you can't." Harry told her. "You've had so much time already, time will make no real difference. Choose with your heart, not your mind, and we will abide."  
  
"Draco." Morag whispered. "I choose Draco."  
  
Harry turned and left. Morag watched his receding back, and then allowed herself to be wrapped up in Draco's arms and just sat there, as he held her, tears prickling her eyes.  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Note: the next chapter will be focused more on the adults. Important things to look out for in following chapters:  
  
What happens when Narcissa meets Morganna's devilishly handsome older brother, Gerad? He and his daughters are coming back from California a little earlier than expected.  
  
Are John and Luci (pronounced Loo-Shee, just so you know) going to remarry? What will Clayton do?  
  
Are Clayton and Babette an item, or is Babette falling for a certain red head?  
  
Harry and…Elena Montaque? The man famous for referring to his brother in law as 'Monkey Boy' brings his daughters home for the remainder of the summer, sparks fly between Harry and a girl who, while she is almost identical to Morag, is the complete opposite of her cousin.  
  
Will Hermione dump Viktor for Ron, or is Ron destined for a pretty little french maiden?  
  
What will Viktor do when he sees the way Ron looks at his girlfriend?  
  
Dear Aunt Lacci – you know, the one that likes torturing people and had her father telling people that their daughters died of 'accidents' when she went a little overboard with one of the maids that were her usual victims – is coming home, and Morganna wants to hide. What happens?  
  
So, there's some previews, do review! 


	12. A Twist

Disclaimer: mine! Mine! Mine! As if. I don't own JK's world, I just like messing it up.  
  
Author's Note: I was agonizing more over the Draco-or-Harry thing than Morag was! Well, as the title would suggest, surprises are in store for the Snapes this chapter. Some times I really feel for poor Sev – and then I just ignore it and write it all down anyway! God, this is so much fun! I am enjoying this story almost as much as my Buffy-Angel crossover (entitled: 'Spike's got a…girlfriend?')! And that's saying something! Whoa, no more sugar for Adele…  
  
Dedicated to: Shannon. I'm sorry, I'm about to truly torture your character. Though, Sev really isn't yours, I just think of him as yours. Anyways, on with the story!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Twelve: A Twist  
  
~*~  
  
"Are you sure?" Jenni asked Morganna, excited for her friend.  
  
Just plain bouncing off the walls, really.  
  
"I'm sure. I checked, and I double checked, and I triple-triple checked!" Morganna laughed and did a little happy dance.  
  
"Shouldn't you tell Severus first?" Jenni queried, suddenly thinking of how he might feel if he was the last to know.  
  
"I'm only telling you now, he'll be the very next to know. I promise. But I had to tell someone…"  
  
"And Lily's not here." Jenni finished.  
  
"That's not what I meant." Morganna protested.  
  
"Okay, but deep down, it was." Jenni told her, shrugging.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco, Morag, Este and the rest walked into Les chiffons aux Richesses, impressed with themselves.  
  
Draco and Morag walked arm in arm, George was standing suspiciously close to Este, Hermione was between Viktor and Ron, Ginny had met up with Kieran and Harry was discussing the sickening sight that Este and George presented with Fred.  
  
Someone familiar was standing in Les chiffons, and it was all Morag could do not to walk – very quickly – out.  
  
((Author's Note: the much-begged-for (well, not really) cameo appearance of Rouge Magie is finally here, along with my chapter twelve. If you're also reading my other stories, be patient with me, I suffer from writer's block frequently!))  
  
Who on earth would like to run into their tormentor's daughter?  
  
Rouge Magie was examining a deep red set of velvet dress robes, designed ostentatiously by Gerad Montaque – Morag's uncle – and she hadn't noticed the influx of Hogwarts students.  
  
Draco's hand tightened on Morag's arm, and she kept her head held high, as she said in a distant tone, "Miss Magie, what a surprise."  
  
Rouge turned, and looked disgusted at the sight. Morag Snape and Draco Malfoy…surrounded by Gryffindors? It was almost as sickening as Este and George.  
  
"How nice to see you, Miss Snape." She replied coldly.  
  
Morag took one look at what Rouge was examining. "Those robes aren't for sale, I'm afraid."  
  
The sales girl faltered under Morag's cold blue stare and nodded.  
  
"Why?" Rouge demanded. This was…beyond words!  
  
"It is for show, only for show. Uncle Gerad designed it for Elena; we're keeping it here to showcase."  
  
"Can't another be made?" Rouge pressed, now directing her look at the near- whimpering sales girl. The group behind Morag and Draco watched in breathless anticipation ((a/n: I had to get that in there somewhere!)).  
  
"I'm afraid not. It is a Les chiffons tradition. Each and every garment is a one-and-only. Admittedly, some of them are remarkably similar, but there are none exactly the same." Morag said distantly, running her hand over the soft fabric.  
  
Draco rested his hand on Morag's waist. "Lilli," he said thoughtfully, "We'd best get on with things. You're wasting time."  
  
Rouge bit back her harsh reply – how dare he insinuate that she was a waste of time? – and stalked past them, out of the shop.  
  
Este stared at Morag. "Was that…"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And she…"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
"Definitely."  
  
~*~  
  
"He's going to be here?" Morag squealed with delight.  
  
Severus was slightly unnerved. She'd never done that before. He walked into the room where his daughter and his wife were discussing…something.  
  
"What's going on in here?" he asked, in a comparatively good mood.  
  
Morganna and Morag exchanged a look. It was a 'oh-god-daddy/Severus-is-not- going-to-be-pleased-at-all-let's-run-like-hell' look.  
  
"Darling," Morganna murmured, standing and snaking her arms around his neck, "Geradiscominghometodayandhe'llbehere." It all came out in a rush.  
  
"What?" Severus's voice was dangerously soft. "Repeat that, love, slowly." He disentangled himself from her embrace, and folded his arms.  
  
Morganna took a deep breath, and Morag beat a hasty retreat. "Something happened, and Gerad'll be home later this evening. With his daughters…and the Swanns."  
  
"The Swanns?" Severus had a sinking feeling. He recognized that name…  
  
"Lillias and her husband Richard." Morganna decided now was a good time… "And I'm pregnant."  
  
"They—you what?"  
  
Closing her eyes, she repeated, "I am pregnant."  
  
"Oh god."  
  
~*~  
  
"Anna? Anna darling?" it was Gerad, with Lillias, Richard, Elena and Elysoun in tow.  
  
"Gerad! I've missed you so much!" Morganna beamed at her brother, as he pulled her into a hug. He was so much taller than she was, and muscular etc. Morganna was a very slender, short woman, and most people looked like giants next to her. It didn't help that Gerad was almost seven feet tall anyway.  
  
"Aunt Anna!" Elena gave a happy cry and hugged her aunt. Morganna tended to be the Montaques favorite relative. Most of the family were…very 'Montaque'. That is to say, they were very bad and nasty and dishonest. Morganna was a pleasant surprise.  
  
Elysoun lagged behind. She wasn't exactly the Snapes' favorite person.  
  
Lillias and Richard joined the hugging, and soon the group was headed towards the parlor. Morag and Este met them halfway, not to mention Harry, Ron and Draco.  
  
Ron received curious looks from Elena.  
  
"Who's he?" Elena asked Morag quietly, looking at Ron.  
  
"Him? That's Ron Weasley."  
  
"Ron…what a nice name."  
  
~*~  
  
The dinner table that night was tense.  
  
To say the least!  
  
Narcissa seemed quite taken with Gerad, and the two spent the evening in the garden, talking of everything under the sun. Widow and widower, they made an interesting pair.  
  
Elena took to trying to get Ron's attention, but he was firmly riveted on Hermione. Most of the time, anyway. She tended to be sitting with Viktor – 'why doesn't she just hop in his lap and be done with it' – and eventually Ron gave up and went to sulk. Elena kept him company.  
  
Elysoun was trying to charm Harry, but gave up when he kept glaring at her. She could take no for an answer.  
  
Morag and Draco were dissecting the entire evening, and getting a little tipsy with some wine Morag pilfered from the kitchens.  
  
Este and George vanished fairly quickly after dinner, and nobody commented, though some eyebrows did rise.  
  
Ginny and Kieran had a fight, and spent most of the evening glaring at each other from opposite sides of the room.  
  
Jenni, Morganna and Severus were thinking up baby names. That is to say, Jenni and Morganna thought up baby names and Severus occasionally made noises.  
  
Molly and Arthur Weasley watched the young couples with indulgent looks on their faces.  
  
~*~  
  
**The Next Morning**  
  
Gerad and Morganna sat on a two-seater swing in one of the gardens. Gerad looked troubled.  
  
"He'll come back, Anna. He keeps on coming back." Gerad told his sister bluntly. "You've met him before, in a more social atmosphere. You know he will."  
  
"The calm before the storm, Gerad?" Morganna sighed.  
  
"In a sense, I suppose you're right. You remember when Papa was a Death Eater?"  
  
Morganna shuddered. That was answer enough.  
  
"Then you remember how determined Voldemort was then—and is now. He's not going to give up. Morag humiliated him, you know that. A fifteen-year-old girl defeated him without even going near him. It's not exactly going to inspire love and kisses."  
  
"There is always hope."  
  
"Then you admit that we have something to worry about?"  
  
She was silent.  
  
Gerad rolled up his sleeve. "Take a look at this, Anna. Take a good look."  
  
She turned away, refusing.  
  
"You remember that time just as vividly as I do, Anna, I know you do. You were never required to become a Death Eater, even though you could have, even though we were all expected to. Because back then, Papa still loved our mother, and she wanted you for herself. She didn't want you…tainted. Lacci practically leapt at the chance."  
  
"I remember, Gerad." Morganna whispered. "I remember harsh times and pain, I remember losing my best friend, and I remember watching Mother die, die knowing that her husband had closed his heart to even her."  
  
"We will fight, Anna. I won't follow in Papa's footsteps, I won't become him." Gerad's look was pleading, and tears welled up in Morganna's eyes. Voldemort would come back, and they were already suffering.  
  
"I hated you." She told him distantly. "I hated you because you were a Death Eater and Death Eaters killed my best friend. And her husband. They orphaned her son, and I hated everything to do with them. Even you."  
  
"I know, Anna, and I don't blame you for that."  
  
"He's going to come back."  
  
"Yes. Yes he is."  
  
~*~  
  
Elena, Este, Morag, Ginny and Hermione sat on Morag's bed that night. They wore their pajamas and they were talking quietly. Morag and Ginny were painting Hermione's nails, while their toenails dried, and Este was waiting with not a little trepidation as they promised she was next for a makeover.  
  
"Why do we always talk about the stupidest things?" Hermione asked finally. "We talk about boys, makeup, fashion…and meanwhile, the entire wizarding world is in turmoil. They're combing the world for Voldemort. We all know that it's only the English Death Eaters who died in that battle. We won the battle, we didn't win the war."  
  
The girls fell silent, until Ginny said, "Because we're scared, Mione."  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Harry, alone and miserable, as promised! I will curb my desire to match- make every character in sight! Promise, cross my heart!  
  
Important questions:  
  
Will Voldemort be coming back in this story? I don't know, why don't you just wait your patience?  
  
Will there be a third story? Gee, that would make this a series…well actually, yes there will. 'Harry Potter and the Slytherins'. No previews, I might give away stuff from this story…  
  
Will there be more Slytherin bitching? Absolutely! That was so much fun.  
  
I'm lost! Can we have a family tree? Sure, but it won't be completely complete. Sometimes even I get confused.  
  
Maxwell + Delilah Montaque =  
  
_________________________Gerad + Elaynie =  
  
_______________________________________Elena  
  
_______________________________________Elysoun  
  
_________________________Morganna + Severus Snape  
  
_________________________________+ Jonathan O'Connell  
  
_____________________________________________________Morag  
  
________________________Lucia + John Thorne =  
  
__________________________________________Clayton  
  
________________________Lacrimosa + Georges Perrault =  
  
_________________________________________________Elspeth  
  
_________________________________________________Elisabeth  
  
Lang + Nicolette Hyland =  
  
_____________________Lillias + Richard Swann  
  
_____________________Marguerite  
  
Logan + Abigail Montaque =  
  
_______________________Charlotina  
  
_______________________Jean + Charlotta =  
  
______________________________________Sylph  
  
______________________________________Nymph  
  
((Are we noticing a pattern?))  
  
Adrian + Claire Desroubins =  
  
________________________Paul + Martine =  
  
_____________________________________Clarissa  
  
_____________________________________James  
  
Jacques + Marguerite Remillard =  
  
___________________________Jacques II  
  
___________________________Piers  
  
___________________________Marc + Charlotte =  
  
__________________________________________Piers  
  
__________________________________________Avialle  
  
You may notice that not all the last names are Montaque. Here's who's actually related to them:  
  
The Hylands.  
  
The Remillards and the Desroubins' are not actual relatives, but they are important.  
  
Note:  
  
In 'Once Upon A Time', there is a character Marc Remillard who Morganna very nearly marries. In an early chapter of 'Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets', reference is made to 'Piers and Sylph'. Sylph being Jean and Charlotta's daughter, Piers being the errant son of Marc and Charlotte. Yes, he is named after his uncle Piers Remillard. The Desroubins' are here because in one of my favorite series' there is a character Paul Jonas and Martine Desroubins. I always thought they should be together. Only, in my world, Paul is a Desroubins, not Martine.  
  
Also, there may be more relatives not on this family tree. I sometimes add spur of the moment cousins.  
  
~*~  
  
Review! Review! Review! 


	13. Trouble In Paradise

[Disclaimer] As I have said repeatedly, I do not own anything created by JK Rowling. If I did, I imagine I would be rolling in money, which I am not!  
  
Author's Note: I figured chapter 13 would be a good chapter for things to start going downhill, as the chapter-title may suggest. I do have a general outline of what's going to happen in the next story, and in the next few chapters I'll be setting the scene for that until I finally get around to finishing this story and starting that one. As I've got quite a few other stories that I'm working on, don't hold your breath!  
  
And time for me to remember there's such a thing as a P L O T, which means I better quit obsessing about pairings and get with the story. I will, promise, cross my heart! But Ron and Harry are still going to suffer…miserable and alone. Though Ron may cheer up a bit. Elena's a determined little Montaque.  
  
Dedicated to: my best friend Erin. Happy Birthday! (Erin turned 15 on June 21st)  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Thirteen: Trouble In Paradise  
  
~*~  
  
Morganna and Severus had decided on one boy's name and one girl's name. Well, Morganna and Jenni did and then Severus just agreed.  
  
Isabella Christia Snape, or Severin Julian Snape. Both women had liked the idea of another little Sevvy running around. Morag had rolled her eyes and prayed for a girl.  
  
Severus was just hoping nothing would go wrong.  
  
But this is the Snapes, and there is Voldemort on the loose.  
  
Perhaps that was just a little too much to hope for.  
  
~*~  
  
The girls had taken to having slumber parties almost every night, and tonight was no different.  
  
"Can't you just see it, though?" Ginny grinned at her friends. Elena had been quickly accepted into the girls' circle, but Elysoun was not trusted and spent the nights in her own chamber, sleeping, or trying to listen through walls.  
  
Hermione nodded, grinning, and threw her arms out wide. "George and Este Weasley cordially invite you to their 100th anniversary…" at which point she was stopped by a pillow to the head from Este.  
  
"That's it! Pillow fight!" Morag shouted, and they all grabbed various pillows.  
  
~*~  
  
A good sound pillow-whapping* later, the girls were sound asleep and covered in feathers.  
  
Except for Morag and Hermione.  
  
The two of them sat there, in the silence, in the dark, thinking.  
  
Well, brooding, if you want to be accurate.  
  
"Can you still do it?" Hermione broke the silence.  
  
"Do what?" Morag asked, as if she didn't know…  
  
"Summon the Keeper."  
  
Morag was silent a long while. And then she replied. "Yes. I can."  
  
"I read up on it, when you were kidnapped." Hermione remarked quietly. "It's quite an amazing feat to be able to do that."  
  
"I know." She paused, thoughtful. "The Keeper has Her limits, you know. They're just further away than anyone else's. If I really wanted to, I could probably have her write my name in the stars."  
  
"I…wow. The risks you took when you tried…do you know what could have gone wrong if you'd failed?" Hermione breathed.  
  
"Yes." Morag said simply.  
  
"He's coming back, isn't he?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you think the wizarding world is prepared for that? Or the muggle world, for that matter?"  
  
"I very much doubt it. We won that battle by sheer luck. The worst is yet to come."  
  
~*~  
  
"Vengeance will be mine." Voldemort told his loyal Death Eaters. "England is within my grasp! The WORLD is within my grasp! I will have my vengeance, and all will pay for the mistakes of the Snapes…none will defy Lord Voldemort!"  
  
"Perrault has the key to the Snapes." Malfoy – yes, Lucius Malfoy – told his master. "She is on her way, master."  
  
"Good. Let the word be spread – blood will be shed. Oh yes…blood will be shed."  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning, they ate in silence.  
  
The summer had begun so…hopefully. As more people gathered at the Montaque mansion, so had hope, and happiness, and laughter.  
  
As the cold, harsh reality hit them…all that hope began to fade.  
  
No more laughter.  
  
No more happiness.  
  
No more hope.  
  
Even Morganna's joyful news of pregnancy could not shake the dark cloud.  
  
Severus's arm was around his wife's waist, protective. He was not yet sure what he protected her from, but it was definite, he would not lose her again.  
  
Lillias made an attempt at conversation. The vibrant and vivacious Lillias Swann was full of life, she was always on the go. Nothing could slow her down, and she was determined that this summer would be a summer to remember with smiles. "Anna, have you picked any baby names?"  
  
That certainly started the conversation.  
  
Morganna nodded, and they all waited to hear them. "For a girl, Isabella Christia**, and for a boy, Severin Julian."  
  
Molly nodded approvingly, thinking the names would suit a Snape. "I like the girl's name, Isabella Christia."  
  
"My family can trace all the way back to the French royal court, and the first recorded magical Lady Montaque was Isabelle Montaque, and Christia was her granddaughter." Morganna explained. "I like using family names. Traditional, I suppose."  
  
Jenni grinned. "If it's a boy, we'll have another Sevvy on our hands."  
  
"What if it's twins?" Narcissa asked.  
  
Severus groaned. "Don't even suggest that, Cissa!"  
  
Gerad grinned at his brother in law. "Twins are a Montaque tradition, Monk- I mean Severus." Gerad stopped himself before he said 'Monkey Boy'. "I mean, there was Lucia and Annette – poor sweet, she died when she was a baby – Elena and Elysoun, there's twins all over the place."  
  
"And me and Ame," Jenni put in. "You people are just surrounded by them."  
  
"Piers and Avialle." Morag added. "They're twins."  
  
"Sylph and Nymph Montaque." Lillias recalled the bitchy Sylph and quietly charming Nymph.  
  
"Well, there you have it Sevvy." Narcissa said. "Twins is a definite possibility."  
  
~*~  
  
**Back in England**  
  
"Pansy! Pansy!" Daisy called her older sister.  
  
"What? I'm busy!" Pansy shouted.  
  
"It's that Zabini girl." Daisy said impatiently. "And Rosy's being a pain, so you better get your act together. Mummy's going to be home tomorrow!"  
  
"Get out of the way, Daiz." Blaise drawled. She was starting to regret saddling herself with Pansy Parkinson. Allying with Snape would have been the way to go. The girl was quality Slytherin, and Blaise respected her.  
  
Daisy moved wordlessly, and Blaise sauntered into the Parkinson home like she owned the place. Blaise Margot Zabini learned at a young age that to get anywhere, she had to go somewhere. And go there in style.  
  
"Blaise, I'm so glad to see you! Draco won't reply to any of my owls!" Pansy wailed.  
  
"Gee, I wonder why." She replied sardonically. "Wake up, Parkinson. Snape claimed the prize before you left the starting line."  
  
"Fuck you, Zabini."  
  
"No thanks, Parkinson. I don't swing that way."  
  
Pansy hated the way Blaise turned everything – including Pansy – into one big joke. Sarcasm and bitterness seemed about as close as you could get to manners and friendliness from Blaise Zabini.  
  
"Quit fucking around." Pansy snarled. "This is serious."  
  
"To you. To me, this is just light entertainment. The real fireworks start when Snape gets back from France. Watch your back, Parkinson. The girl's a coldhearted bitch, and you'd do well to remember that."  
  
"I heard she wasn't so coldhearted after all. I also heard the Potter idiot is head over heels for the veela whore."  
  
"You'd better change your tune before we get back to Hogwarts." Blaise advised. "Malfoy and Snape aren't likely to take kindly to you the way you are. Christ, Parkinson, you really, really need to wake up. We need them, they don't need us. Slytherin girls' social standing relies solely on what Morag Lillith Snape thinks of them. It's not like we're a popular house. Shit, we're probably lower than Hufflepuff when it comes to social standing. Relying on your looks is a bitch when you're not allowed out of Slytherin."  
  
"I will get Draco back." Pansy vowed.  
  
Blaise remained silent.  
  
"I will." Pansy repeated.  
  
~*~  
  
**Back in France**  
  
Harry turned away from the window.  
  
Down by the lake – Harry could see – Morag and Draco were arm in arm, walking and talking, planning and dreaming…hoping and wishing…  
  
Harry couldn't bear to watch them. But he was drawn to the sight…like a moth to a flame.  
  
He watched as Draco wrapped his arms around Morag's waist, swept her off her feet and kissed her soundly.  
  
Harry's heart twisted. That should have been him down there…her in **his** arms.  
  
Ron laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Easy there, Harry."  
  
"It's just…"  
  
"I know." Ron said wryly. "Another guy's got his hand's on your girl. Know the feeling."  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Yeah." Ron went almost as red as his hair.  
  
"She really likes Viktor."  
  
"I know. I just want her to be happy."  
  
"Guess so."  
  
"Morag's happy with Malfoy. Hermione's happy with Krum. What a pair, eh? We've even got the same sort of girl trouble at the same time." Ron tried to lighten the mood.  
  
"What a pair." Harry echoed.  
  
"Well, you…be okay, okay?" Ron prodded his friend. "Okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Okay." Harry nodded and Ron walked out of the room.  
  
Harry turned back to the window.  
  
~*~  
  
*All hail my friend Rehan…never would have heard of 'whapping' if she hadn't whapped Arocan…golly gosh that's a cool word…whap, whap, whap! It's official! My new line is: Flamers will be whapped!  
  
**In honor of my favorite Lily, one of Isabella's nicknames will be Chrissie, in the fine Montaque tradition of using middle names. Maria, Lilli…Chrissie! And Severin will – naturally – be another little Sevvy.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Okay, what you all think of the baby names? I like them…I was really, really tempted to name the girl something like 'Marie Susanna'…but I really liked 'Isabella Christia' so I stuck with it. In role-plays the twins are Christabel Lily and Luc Ti-Jean, but I decided against those names for the story. There will – eventually – be a story where Isabella and/or Severin will be main character/s, but between then and now will be as follows:  
  
A sixth year story.  
  
A seventh year story.  
  
An 'After Hogwarts' story…the planning of Draco and Morag's wedding, the wedding, the reception and the messiness that follows. The insanity continues…!  
  
After that story, I'll start working on Isabella and/or Severin's years at Hogwarts. I'm not sure if I'll do a complete series for the second Snapes, but I'll definitely think about it. I mean, in that one, of course, could feature Draco and Morag's children…yes, I think I might just do a really big series…look at it so far, I've got 'Once Upon A Time', which is where it all really begins, with Morganna and Severus. Next there's 'One Old Owl', which is just the reminisces of the Montaque owl, followed by 'Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets', where we meet Morag Snape properly. The next story is this one here, 'A Summer of Secrets'. I am planning to branch out and give various Montaques stories of their own. For example, what's with Lacrimosa Perrault? The vicious older Montaque sister, this woman has a mean streak a mile wide. She tortures…torments…taunts…not even Morganna can forgive the things Lacci has done.  
  
Then there's Thamala Blake. Where'd she come from? Why's she the way she is?  
  
Who's curious about Lucia Montaque's 'record'? It was mentioned briefly in Keeper of Secrets…you don't actually get told **what** the record is…Morag claims it wouldn't translate. I know what it is, and Morganna Snape blushes at the very mention of it. Tee hee…I'll let you keep guessing on that one, though looking at Luci's personality, the things she's reputed to do, it should be obvious.  
  
So, clearly, I have big plans. I don't know if I ever will get all these stories done. I want to, definitely. Knowing me, if you let me go, I'd probably keep going until Draco and Morag Malfoy had grandchildren…! But, since this author's note has been so long and informative, I'd best get going. Review, please, darlings I live on feedback! Did you like my story? What do you think of my big plans? Got any ideas for me? Like, is there any particular thing you want to hear about? (Me personally, I'm a bit curious about the Sylph/Piers/Morag thing that was mentioned in chapter three of KoS.)  
  
Toodles,  
  
Adele Elisabeth 


	14. Just the Beginning

Disclaimer: if I were JK Rowling, Morag would be in the books.  
Author's Note: **fishes for compliments** jokes, jokes. I just want more reviews.  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Just the beginning  
  
"How good to see you again." Voldemort gave his most...enthusiastic Dearg Eater a laconic smile.  
"Master." Lacrimosa sketched a brief bow, and gave a faint smile. She was beautiful, but - and this, you realise, is so cliche - deadly. Lacrimosa Perrault had no morals, no ethics, and she enjoyed her work.  
"Malfoy claims you have the key to the Snapes."  
"You forget, master, Snape's wife is my baby sister." Lacrimosa was one of the few permitted such impudence. She skated on thin ice frequently, but she amused him and he needed her. She had skills he required and nobody was better at what she did. Curses were getting old, and Death Eaters needed to drive cold, icy fear into the hearts of wizards everywhere. It's easy to martyr yourself when you know your death will be a swift Avada Kedavra.  
It's harder when you know you're going to be tortured with muggle implements, by someone who knows how to keep you alive for months that way.  
"Ah, yes." Voldemort nodded, fire in his eyes.  
Lacrimosa smiled. It was the smile of a predator, and her eyes were the eyes of a cobra. Beautiful on the serpent - not so much on the person.  
  
Morganna sat in front of her dressing table mirror, brushing out her long silvery tresses. It was late in the evening, and most were getting ready for bed.  
"Morganna?" Severus called from the bathroom.  
"Yes, dear?"  
"Have you been using my comb again?" his tone was mildly accusatory.  
Morganna contrived to make her voice as innocent as possible. "Who, me?"  
"Yes, you. I'm fairly sure my hair isn't as long as yours, or silver blonde." Severus replied, a little sarcastically.  
"Sarcasm, Severus? I'm shocked at you." Morganna laughed lightly.  
"Please get your own comb, Morganna."  
"Yes, dear. You know, you've always been more vain about your hair than Narcissa or I ever were - or are - and we were the vainest girls in Slytherin, if not Hofwaers." She mused. Memories of days gone by seemed to be the theme lately, and she found that some of them were not so painful anymore.  
"Really?" Severus tried - with some difficulty - to reconciile Morganna's carefree bounce through life with Narcissa's picture-perfect idea of how she should look and act.  
"Most assuredly. Hurry up in there, I want to brush my teeth."  
"Yes, love." He sighed.  
  
Morag was seated in the rose garden, goosebumps betraying the cold. Her pajamas consisted of black satin boxer shorts and matching black singlet top. Her long silver hair - now in ringlets, after the girls spent days deciding to 'reinvent' themselves - and pale skin were a stark contrast against the dark of her night clothes and the night itself.  
"You haven't been back to see me."  
Morag turned. "Glori-Anne! Don't scare me that way."  
"I'm a ghost. Aren't I supposed to?"  
"Well, you've got me there..."  
"Listen, Mora," Gloria's translucent features seemed...troubled. "I don't know how much time we have, so I'll get to the point. Danger."  
"What sort of danger?"  
"You may know, I've always had some ability in Divination. A true seer is uncommon, but Mother's family has always had a knack for producing them. Anyway, I can't tell you exactly what's going on but...it's defininitely got something to do with Lacci."  
"I'll get Daddy." Morag said immediately.  
"No! No, don't get Severus." The ghost of Gloria Anne shook her head. "I've told you as much as I can, but I don't want to speak to the others."  
"Fine."  
  
Harry and Ron sat in the parlor, playing wizard's chess.   
Well, mostly they were thinking, but occasionally they remembered to tell the pieces where to go.  
"What's going on around here?" Ron asked finally. "It's bizarre. This place is just filling up with people. Morag's family, guests, it's like it went from being this little holiday - just the five of them - and all of a sudden, boom, everyone's here."  
"I was wondering a bit about that myself." Harry admitted. "I haven't got a clue, but everyone's getting really nervous. I heard Mrs Snape say something about some 'Lacci' person, and the look in her eyes -- very 'deer in the headlights'."  
"Deer in the what?"  
"Lights on a car."  
"Oh."  
"Anyway, you're right, it is bizarre."  
"Scary, even." Ron agreed.  
From out of the shadows a tall, silver blonde woman moved. At first glance, she looked remarkably like Morganna.  
But then look back, and you realise she couldn't be. SHe was too tall - 5'7" - and her eyes were cold, harsh and calculating.  
"Oh no, boys, this is just the beginning." Lacrimosa purred. 


	15. Things That Go Bump In The Night

Disclaimer: JK Rowling's world, me no own, etc, etc. Get the picture?  
Warning: Character Deaths.   
  
Chapter 15: Things That Go Bump In The Night  
(like heads)  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged a look of apprehension, and stood up, backing away from her.  
Lacrimosa moved to block the door, but she was too late. Harry and Ron bolted, and Ron gave a loud cry when she knocked him down with - of all things - a vase.  
Ron stumbled to his feet and the various people in the Montaque mansion were alerted when he and Harry began hollering for help.  
Morag stepped out into the hallway, and then stepped back just as quickly when she saw Lacrimosa.  
So Morag did what any sane girl would do when she saw Lacrimosa Perrault coming at her with murder in her eyes.  
She screamed, loud and long. her shriek was piercing and it tore through the night - anyone who hadn't been awake certainly was now.  
"Harry! Third door on the left!" she shrieked at him, and watched with satisfaction as he went into the appropriate door, before slamming her own and looking for something - anything - she could use against Lacrimosa, and whoever else she'd brought with her.  
She could hear the sounds of the rest of the household waking up to sights similarly frightening as Death Eaters swarmed into the house.  
Her search was not in vain - soon enough she found a large, curved and jeweled dagger that had been on the wall to be decorative. Testing the edege, she found it had been kept in perfect condition and - wiping the blood from her finger (where she tested the edge) on her pajamas - she strode into the hallway.  
Since the Montaque home was charmed against spells and hexes, the Death Eaters were armed with knives, swords - guns even.  
Morag saw the hallway was now deserted, no one else had been in this area, not now. She didn't have time to wonder where or how they were. She got with as much speed as she could muster to the room she'd sent Harry to.  
Harry stood in it, looking amazed. "Morag, this is amazing..."  
"I know. Lacci's personal armoury. She had some odd tastes. Can you learn how to use a dagger, really, really fast?"  
"I can try."  
"Do or don't, it's your life, Potter." Morag shrugged and found some of Lacrimosa's old things. She strapped daggers to her thights, waist, arms and even found a handgun she was glad to see was loaded.  
"What's going on?" Harry's eyes went round as he watched her.  
"Looks like Voldemort's decided his big comebacks going to be a little sooner than we thought." She said drily. "That was my aunt, Lacrimosa. She's a bitch, and one of Voldemort's finest. She wouldn't have walked into this place on her own; not even she's stupid enough to do that. A spell, curses, hexes - the place is charmed against them. Which is why I insist you at least work out how to point a gun, because I know Aunt Lacci and she means business.  
Harry nodded, numbly.  
  
Morganna screamed as a Death Eater kicked in her door, and Severus was on his feet in a second. He reached for his wand, but Morganna stopped him, remembering her father's charms against magic and the preparations that had been made in the past. She felt under the bed, and sure enough, there it was. She handed him a sword. Maxwell Montaque had always had a thing for them.  
"It's pretty easy, Sev," she whispered as she pressed it into his hand and rolled off the bed, hoping they wouldn't be too late. "Sharp pointy end into the other person..."  
"I know sword fighting, love." He said tightly, and leapt toward the intruders.  
  
Ginny hurled foul insults - most likely taught by her brothers - at her attackers as she scrambled away from them and then gave a startled cry when she saw Morag, in the middle of the fray in the dining room.  
Morag had fled the hallway to where everyone was mainly the dining room. Atop a table, she was reloading a handgun, accompanied by those near her that she had roused (George, Este, Fred, Draco, Harry and Hermione).  
"Look out!" Ginny screamed, but just a moment too late.  
Blood flowed freely down Morag's back, a dagger flung into her shoulder. She howled with pain, and sank down, blood staining the pale skin.   
For a moment, time stopped.  
A gunshot penetrated the silence, and a Death Eater went down with a bullet between his eyes. Bookish little Hermione was a better shot than anyone would have thought.  
Death Eaters withdrew. Morag Snape was incapacitated, and Madame Perrault had made it clear she wanted the Snapes left alone once they were incapacitated. They had to watch the suffering and carnage around them...  
  
Narcissa was jerked out of her bed and thrown against a wall by none other than her husband, Lucius Malfoy.  
"You're dead," she whispered.  
"No such luck, Cissa." He snarled. "But darling, you are."  
She stared at him uncomprehendingly, but things became clear when he thrust a dagger into her throat, blood staining her white negligee and trickling out of her mouth as she fell with a last, gurgling shriek to the ground. Crumpled like a broken doll, this slender, bloodstained body was all that was left of Narcissa Malfoy, born Narcissa Helena de Vries."  
"'Til death do us part." Lucius murmured, and left her lying there.  
Without a backwards glance, he strode out of the room.  
  
When the assault on the home ended, it became apparent that Narcissa had not been the only casualty.  
Viktor was dead, a bullet to the head took him quickly.  
Lacrimosa herself killed Ron, brutally.   
Lillias, dead.  
Elysoun, dead.  
Richard, dead.  
Stuart was dead, Rene was dead, Babette was dead, and all doubted that Yvonne would make it to dawn.  
Clayton had watched his parents murdered. Lucia Montaque and John Thorne died together.  
It was unlikely Gerad would live.  
Hermione and Harry sat with the Weasleys, mourning the loss of Ron.   
That night, the things that went bump were the bodies of the fallen.  
All wept, all mourned, and none would ever be the same. 


	16. Headlines

[Disclaimer: I do not own anything created by JK Rowling]  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Headlines  
  
'Montaque Massacre: 10 Confirmed Dead'  
Morganna stared at the headline.  
The night before last, she had watched as her sister lead a group of Death Eaters against her, her family, and their guests.  
Gerad and Yvonne could go either way at that point in time, and Morganna had not left her brother's bedside. She was vaguely aware of Severus grasping her hand tightly, and she leaned back against him, closing her eyes against the harsh reality.  
  
Morag and Draco sat by the lake, beneath a tree. Well, Morag sat, and Draco lay with his head in her lap. He hadn't cried, but it didn't take an IQ of a billion to work out how much it hurt him.   
They said nothing, just sitting there, listening to the silence. Draco's face was an unreadable mask, but Morag's emotions could be read in her eyes. She was lost, her large blue eyes full of softened pain.  
  
Jenni sat with her niece, and had just received an owl from Ame, her twin sister. Ame had been understandably fraught when Jenni informed her of what had happened - Este, after all, was her daughter, and Jenni her sister.   
Jenni hugged her niece tightly, careful of the bandaged hand. "It'll be all right," she whispered, and prayed silently she was right.  
This...this was...beyond words...  
  
It was dinner now, and then table was silent as they ate until Morganna stood up.  
She addressed the children - teenagers - when she finally spoke. "We've discussed it, and decided we will all go back to England as soon as possible. My secretary from Les chiffons is organizing a flight with muggle transportation, since we've agreed that movements in the muggle world are likely to be safer, for the time being. After dinner, pack your things and we leave in the morning."  
Morag leaned her head on Draco's shoulder, and he put an arm around her, they were at a time when mutual comfort was a must. Both had lost, and pride would let neither ask for help.  
All had run out of tears, pain had numbed them. Molly Weasley had not come down to dinner that evening, and neither had Arthur. Harry and Hermione were stunned, they could hardly believe that Ron was really gone. And Viktor...Hermione had watched him killed.  
Clayton, Elysoun and Elena were scared. Clayton was orphaned, and it seemed likely the twins would soon be as well.   
Lang Hyland had left France earlier in the day with the bodies of his daughter and son-in-law. Lang's younger daughter - Marguerite Hyland - did not yet know of her sister's death. She was spending the summer with her mother's family in New York.  
Severus held his wife close to him, not wanting to risk losing her. Few Death Eaters had been killed, but they had lost ten people. Twelve, perhaps.   
Friends, family.  
Innocents.  
Innocence.  
Tear-stained cheeks and pain-filled eyes.  
Life's a bitch...  
...and then you die.  
  
"What about Draco?" Severus asked his wife as she packed.  
Morganna didn't hesitate before she replied, "He comes with us."  
"...?"  
"Narcissa was my friend, and Lucius was - perhaps not recently - your friend. Constance can't take him, I spoke to her earlier, and he's going to his father's relations over my dead body." Morganna said calmly, a calm she did not feel. "For the meantime, he comes with us."  
"We'll discuss this later." Severus promised. He wasn't sure he liked the idea but, for the mean time, she was right.  
  
"Ten confirmed dead, master." Malfoy reported.  
Voldemort smiled. "Send in Madame Perault. I would speak with her."  
"Your will, master." Malfoy bowed and exited silently.  
Soon after, Lacrimosa strode into the room, calmly sharpening a dagger. "Master."  
"Madame Perrault. A success?"  
"Complete. We found Potter and his friends there, as well. One of his number will not be bothering you again." Her tone was even, pleasant. The sort of tone she would use at a parent-teacher interview.  
"The mudblood?"  
"The Weasley."  
"Nevermind. The little mudblood is next, Madame Perrault. Her, then Potter. We will deal with the Snapes soon enough. What else have you to report?"  
"Malfoy's faked death was superb. Even his wife believed him to be dead." She paused. "Right up until the moment he killed her, of course."  
"Narcissa de Vries. A good wife she made him."  
"Now she will make a pretty corpse."  
"Naturally. Go, I wish to think on this." Voldemort waved her away, and Lacrimosa was smiling as she left.  
  
"Morag?" ESte asked, knocking on the door.   
Morag opened it, and forced a brief, painful smile. "Yes?"  
"Do you need any help packing?"   
It was the flimsiest of excuses, but nobody wanted to be alone.  
"That'd be great, ESte." Morag nodded, gratitude shining through the unshed tears in her eyes.  
"Okay." Este came into the room. She and Morag went silently about the task of packing.  
"So, you've finished your packing?" Morag asked in as calm a tone as she could muster. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted and drained. All she wanted was to forget.  
"Yes." Este nodded. "Aunt Jenni and your mother are in the parlor. I think we might be leaving earlier than we thought."  
"Good idea."   
"Yeah."  
  
As it turned out, they were loaded onto an airplane that night, at around 11pm. Morganna had managed to pull enough strings that their flight was private.  
News came just before they left.   
Gerad and Yvonne both died that night.  
Elena, Elysoun and Clayton would go together to live with Jean and Charlotta Montaque, and their cousins, Sylph and Nymph.  
Morganna had no tears left to cry for her beloved brother.  
From an upstairs window in the mansion, a translucent figure watched as the airplane went overhead.  
Gloria Anne Montaque predicted danger, and had tried to warn her niece. But she'd had not enough information, and in too little time. Nobody had been prepared.  
Now it was too late. Morag wouldn't come back to this place, that she did not doubt.  
Then again, Morag knew.  
Someone knew.  
That was enough for G.A. Montaque.  
"Come along, Mister Panda," Gloria motioned to her cat, turning away from the window.  
Damnation followed her as she floated out of the room.  
  
'Montaque Massacre: 10 Confirmed Dead'  
  
Author's Note:  
Talk about depressing. Well, that's all there is of this story, and I won't be doing 'Summer' stories. From now, it'll be the schoolyear, and only tailends of summers if they're needed. Well, I say that, but you know me. Stories tend to get away from me. I assure you this is not how I planned the ending.   
Ron fans, don't hate me. Flames about his death will be politely disregarded. (I'll ignore them)   
I've never really been a Ron fan. Or a Ron/Hermione shipper.   
Do review, I'll love you forever!  
Toodles to yoodles,  
~ Adele Elisabeth 


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